Products from sweet potatoes, cassava, edible aroids, amaranth, yams, lotus, potatoes and other roots, seeds and fruit

ABSTRACT

Flours prepared from white sweet potatoes, cassava, edible aroids, tropical yams, lotus, arrowhead, buckbean, and amaranth, and a variety of different food products prepared from them, are substitutes for wheat and other grains, legumes, milk, eggs, and a partial substitute for nuts. A variety of different food products, prepared from edible roots, seeds, and starchy fruits including potatoes, arrowroot, water chestnut, sugar beets, jicama, buckwheat, legumes, millet, milo, barley, oats, corn, teff, rice, cotton seed meal, bread fruit, pumpkin, winter squash, white squash, plantain, banana, and jack fruit, are substitutes for wheat and other grains, milk, eggs, and a partial substitute for nuts. A variety of starches, soluble fibers, and insoluble fibers may be combined to provide products that are substitutes for wheat and other grains, milk, eggs, and a partial substitute for nuts.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Continuation in Part of applicant'sprevious application Ser. No. 294,690, filed on Aug. 1, 1988, (which isthe U.S. national phase of PCT/US87/00166 which was filed on Feb. 2,1987), now U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,689, titled, "Flour, Bread, Milk, andOther Products from White Sweet Potatoes, Cassava, Edible Aroids,Amaranth, Yams and Lotus" and patent application Ser. No. 07/696,086,filed on May 6, 1991, titled, "Processes for Products from Potatoes andOther Roots, Seeds, and Fruit" now U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,706, and patentapplication Ser. No. 522,820, filed on May 14, 1990, titled, "Processesfor Products from Sweet Potato" now U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,137, thedisclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference, which are inturn are Continuations in Part of application Ser. No. 06/824,786, filedJan. 31, 1986, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,943, and application Ser. No.06/825,655, filed Jan. 31, 1986, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,709, andapplication Ser. No. 06/825,656, filed Jan. 31, 1986, now U.S. Pat. No.4,925,697, and application Ser. No. 06/825,658 filed Jan. 31, 1986, nowU.S. Pat. No. 4,925,696, and application Ser. No. 06/825,659, filed Jan.31, 1986, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,703, and application Ser. No.06/825/660, filed Jan. 31, 1986, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,467, the entiredisclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of Invention

The present invention is concerned with the utilization of sweetpotatoes and all other light-fleshed tubers of the familyConvolvulaceae, with the purpose of producing various flours from thetubers, and other valuable edible products and industrial products.Similarly, the present invention is concerned with producing flours andother valuable edible and industrial products from: 1) the tubers of thecassava and all other plants producing tubers of the familyEuphorbiaceae; 2) tubers of malanga and all other plants producingtubers of the family Araceae; 3) the seeds of the amaranth, quinoatubers of the yam and all plants producing tubers in the familyDioscoreaceae; and 5) the tubers of the lotus, arrowhead, buckbean andall other plants producing tubers in the families Nymphaeaceae,Alismataceae, and Gentianaceae.

Also in my previous applications listed above, I disclosed whole floursprepared from sweet potatoes, cassava, malanga and other edible aroids,amaranth, quinoa, yams, lotus, and arrowhead, as well as productsprepared from them as well as manufacturing processes, as well as edibleproducts. The present application discloses alternate processes formanufacturing these and other flours as well as the obtaining ofproducts from flours where the sources of raw materials for the floursare obtained from any of a variety of sources of starch, soluble fibers,and insoluble fibers. These flours and products can be manufactured andused in a manner similar to those described previously for sweetpotatoes, cassava, malanga and other edible aroids, amaranth, quinoa,yams, lotus, arrowhead, and others, with modification as needed to allowfor differences in consistency, moisture retention, and bakingproperties and the like. Unless otherwise indicated, all proportions,methods of preparation and so forth are as those described in the parentapplications.

The present invention is concerned with the utilization of starch,insoluble fiber, and soluble fiber to form flours suitable for obtainingbaked products of risen structure, and also products with colloidalproperties, and other properties as described for sweet potatoes in theabove referenced patent application Ser. No. 522,820 filed on May 14,1990, and as described for sweet potatoes, cassava, malanga, yam, lotus,amaranth, quinoa, and arrowheat and others in the above referencedpatent application Ser. No. 294,690 filed on Aug. 1, 1988.

The present invention is also concerned with the utilization of otherroot vegetables, seeds, or starchy fruits such as potatoes, arrowroot,water chestnut, sugar beets, jicama, buckwheat, legumes, millet, milo,barley, oats, corn, teff, rice, cotton seed meal, bread fruit, pumpkin,winter squash, white squash, plantain, banana, and jack fruit, with thepurpose of producing various flours from the tubers, seeds, or starchyfruits, baked products of risen structure, and other valuable edibleproducts and industrial products.

(2) Description of The Background

Having food products available from as many different food sources aspossible is of the greatest importance to persons with food allergies,and will become of even greater importance as food allergies arediagnosed in increasing numbers of people. As the potential problems offood allergies are more recognized, increasing numbers of people arelooking for non-wheat items to include in their diets, to increasevariety and aid in the prevention of food allergies.

Food allergies and intolerances have been known to exist for hundreds ofyears. The symptoms vary with each individual, and can includecongestion, asthma, diarrhea, headaches, dizziness, joint pains, hives,eczema and in the most severe cases can cause anaphylaxis and evendeath. In recent decades, along with most other diseases related to theimmune or auto-immune system, the incidence of food allergies hasincreased. In addition the number of foods to which a given individualreacts, and the severity of the reactions seems to be increasing.Indications are that food allergies will continue to become increasinglymore common and severe.

The need for new food sources and alternatives parallels the increase infood allergies. As the number of foods an individual can eat begins todwindle, it becomes increasingly more difficult to maintain anutritious, well-balanced diet from the foods remaining, and the searchfor new foods intensifies. For many food allergy patients, the allergyproblem steadily becomes more severe as the patient is unable to avoidbecoming malnourished.

There is, then, a real need for alternatives to the food products thatare the common and accepted staples in the American diet. These foodproducts need to be from hypoallergenic foods so they have the bestchance of being well tolerated by the greatest numbers of people. Thehypoallergenic food products need to provide acceptable substitutes forthe most hyperallergenic food products--wheat, corn, and other membersof the grass family, legumes, milk and milk products, eggs, nuts, andyeast.

The alternative food products should be from less common or less wellknown foods. Such foods will have been eaten less often, if at all, andthere will be a lower chance for a person to have developed allergies tothe new foods. Products from such uncommon foods could probably betolerated by most persons, and the risk of developing allergies to thefoods would be lower.

The alternative food products need to be developed from foods inseparate food families. This is important because food allergy patientscan easily develop allergies to foods that are closely related to thefoods they are already allergic to. New food products from as many newfood families as possible (for example sweet potato products from themorning glory family, cassava products from the spurge family, yamproducts from family Dioscoreaceae, and lotus from the water lilyfamily), are much more needed than are food products from uncommon foodsin a common food family (such as millet from the grass family).Alternative food products from food families not frequently included inpeoples' diets will increase substantially the foods that people can eatin their rotation diets.

The alternative food products need to be highly concentrated foods. Theabove list of hyperallergenic foods includes most of the concentratedcarbohydrates in the normal American diet. When people have to excludethese foods from their diets, the plant sources they have left to eatare primarily green leafy vegetables, tubers, and fruits. These foodsources are high in fiber, but are relatively low in carbohydrates. Aperson who must rely on potatoes or sweet potatoes as their main sourceof carbohydrates, must eat about 2.3 Kg (5 pounds) each day. It is veryhard for many adults to eat this much food, but it is even moredifficult for allergic children who may have to eat almost as much as anadult.

The alternative food products need to be as close to the eliminatedfoods as possible, in form and texture. For example, breads, pastas,cereal, cookies are needed from hypoallergenic sources, and these needto be as similar in taste and texture to their hyperallergeniccounterparts as possible. This will make it possible for persons toenjoy foods they are used to, and will make them more likely to stay ontheir diets. Also people who are concerned that they may have foodallergies are more likely to seek medical treatment if they know theywill have pleasant alternatives in their diets.

Alternative food products are needed that consist of one primaryingredient, and this ingredient serves to replace wheat and othergrains, milk, eggs, nuts, yeast, and sugar. The food allergies ofindividuals vary so greatly, that as the number of ingredients in aproduct increases, the number of individuals that can use the productdecreases. Similarly, the products need to be free of additives,preservatives, and so forth, and should be completely free of pesticidesand other chemicals.

Other characteristics that are important in new food products includeconvenience, portability, and variety. Many patients must change theirdiets at a time when they are very ill, and they simply do not have thestrength to perform the food preparation needed when working with freshfruits and vegetables.

Until now there has been no food product which could meet all of theabove criteria. Many food products have been developed, but essentiallyall contain either wheat, or other grains, soy or legumes, milk, eggs,nuts, yeast, or sugar, or they do not have the characteristics of thecommon food products. Many specialty flours such as amaranth, have beencombined with wheat flour to make new products, and these are not usefulto the food allergic patient. Until now, it has not heretofore beenpossible to completely replace wheat products with a non-grain flourthat also does not contain other main ingredients such as legumes, eggs,milk, sugar, and yeast, and also chemical modifiers.

In order to develop the needed alternative food products, it was firstnecessary to identify flours with suitable properties, and further witheach of such flours, separately, as primary ingredient, to developprocesses and techniques for preparing food products with properties andcharacteristics previously obtainable only from products containingwheat and other grains, legumes, eggs, milk, nuts and the like.

To find flours with suitable properties, existing flours of the art forsweet potatoes, cassava, malanga, yam, amaranth, quinoa, lotus, sugarbeets, arrowhead, and buckthorn were evaluated. As is described below,using these art flours, other investigators had previously attempted todevelop food products that were as completely non-grain in content aspossible. In no case were these investigators able to prepare thedesired food products without including other ingredients such aschemical modifiers, grain flours, high protein flours, eggs, milk, andthe like. In most cases, prior investigators were able to use anon-wheat flour as a substitute for only a small percentage of the totalamount of wheat flour in baked products. Uses of high carbohydrateflours to prepare substitutes for milk and milk products, eggs, and nutsis unknown.

Therefore it was necessary to develop new flours which could be moresuccessfully used in the preparation of non-wheat flour products.Contrary to the teachings of the art, the applicant has found that whenthe dried tubers or seeds were comminuted to fine, relatively uniformparticle size and wherein said relatively uniform particle size isobtained with greatly reduced amounts of sifting or without sifting, andthereby containing most or all of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous material of the tuber or seed in the finely dividedflour, there resulted a flour with unique and suprising properties,which was suitable for developing the desired processes and products.

These flours were found to each have unique and suprisingly differentproperties, and methods of preparation of each flour differ as well.Although no flour could be used in the same way as wheat flour, andalthough no two flours could be used in the same ways. It was possibleto develop processes for each flour, and these processes were used toproduce products comprising substantially one non-wheat flour ingredientwith such products having properties and characteristics previouslyobtainable only from products containing ingredients selected from:wheat and other grains, legumes, eggs, milk, nuts, chemical modifiers,and the like.

New flour products with heretofore unobtainable properties have beendeveloped from tubers of sweet potatoes, cassava, malanga, tropicalyams, lotus, sugar beets, arrowhead, and buckbean, and seeds of amaranthand quinoa. Each flour possesses different, unique, and suprisingproperties. Separate processes have been developed for each flour thatallow its use as a substitute for grains, milk, and eggs, among otheruses.

I have found that flours having properties similar to those of sweetpotato and other flours described in the above referenced patentapplications, may be obtained by combining the major components of theflours which may have been either obtained separately from the wholetuber, vegetable, or starchy fruit, or from different sources. In otherwords whole flours may be used to obtain baked products of risenstructure, and in addition combined flours obtained by combining starch,insoluble fiber, and soluble fiber may be used to obtain baked productsof risen structure. These flours may be combined prior to baking or maybe added to doughs together or at separate times during doughpreparation.

Sweet potatoes: The properties of flour and starch prepared from orangesweet potatoes are well known, and have been reported in the patentliterature as early as the 1840's. Dried, ground orange sweet potatoeswere patented for use as an ingredient in a coffee blend (U.S. Pat. No.100,587 issued in 1870) because dried orange sweet potatoes look andtaste like burned bricks. The caroteen pigment concentrates duringdrying and causes the disagreeable taste and color. The other patenteduses of orange sweet potato flour are limited primarily to that ofrehydratable powders primarily for use in orange sweet potato pie orpumpkin pies. This is probably due to the strong taste of orange sweetpotato flour, the fact that when rehydrated, orange sweet potato flourloses cohesion, and will not keep a shape or hold trapped air. There arenumerous mentions in the patent literature of processes for combiningcooked or raw starches or flours from starchy tubers with variousingredients. Sweet potatoes (orange varieties) are frequently used asexamples of `other tubers`.

There is no reference to flours of white sweet potato varieties in theU.S. patent literature.

Several important teachings of the art have directed investigatorscompletely away from any consideration of sweet potatoes aspossibilities for producing useful products.

Raw orange sweet potato flour made by the methods of Marshall (U.S. Pat.No. 77,995), and Baylor (U.S. Pat. No. 100,587) produced a flourconsidered inferior. The orange sweet potatoes tended to darken duringdehydration; this darkened flour could not be rehydrated to make a goodtasting substitute for the original fresh product, and the flour tendedto have a very strong bitter taste, particularly when produced by themethod of Baylor. Because of the inferior properties of raw orange sweetpotato flour, in the late 1800's and early 1900's the field as a wholeturned emphasis away from raw to cooked orange sweet potato flours. Inthe only mention of raw orange sweet potato flour since then, it isdescribed as cattle fodder.

No orange sweet potato flour, whether raw or cooked, has been able to beused for more than about 30% of a wheat dough without significantdeterioration in texture, risen structure, and taste. Even when a 15-85mixture of orange sweet potato flour and wheat flour was used, theresulting bread product was significantly lower in specific volume. Atratios of 20-80, the specific volume of the bread product was reduced by50 percent.

Other investigators have added cooked orange sweet potato flour to manyproducts such as cookies, cakes, candies, ice cream, breads, and thelike. In not one case was it possible to develop a product with orangesweet potato flour as the primary ingredient. It was only possible toadd small amounts of cooked orange sweet potato flour to existingrecipes containing conventional ingredients and to produce previouslyknown products having orange sweet potato flavor and color.

White sweet potato flour is essentially an uninvestigated flour becausefresh white sweet potatoes are considered (especially in the U.S.) to beinferior to orange sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes having white or lightcolored flesh are described as having poor quality and as being usefulprimarily for cattle fodder. If considered, the properties of whitesweet potato flour would be expected to be less desirable than those oforange sweet potatoes.

In my early research on sweet potatoes, I tried making and using floursof orange sweet potatoes. The flavor of the raw orange sweet potatoflour was very strong, as was described by other investigators. When Itried to use the flour to prepare pancakes and the like, the productsfell apart in much the same way that fresh orange sweet potatoes tend tofall apart when they are cooked. In agreement with the teachings of theart, I was unable to prepare any products from orange sweet potato flouralone.

I then began to work with white sweet potatoes. In my early research onwhite sweet potato flour, the white sweet potato flour was made by ahigh speed impact method which produced a flour of wide particle-sizedistribution, with the fibrous portions of the tuber remaining in thelarger particle sizes, and rendering the flour unsuitably heavy andgritty. When screened, (as is accepted practice in the art to obtain afine flour) the larger particles (representing about 1/3 of the totalweight of the comminuted meal) were removed; this produced a lighter andless gritty flour, but one poorly suited for producing breads and otherproducts where consistency and lightness are important. In addition ithas been found that previous shreds had a high moisture content thatmade them susceptible to spoilage during dehydration and producedinferior products that spoiled easily.

I then developed a new process for preparing white sweet potato flourwhich involved reducing moisture content and incorporating more fibrousand non-farinaceous material into a flour of fine particle size. Thisflour had improved storage capability and provided products of palatableconsistency. This flour, the flour of the instantly claimed invention,is suitable for use in baked and other products, and it was possible todevelop new processes, different from conventions of the art, which madeit possible to use the white sweet potato flour of the instantly claimedinvention to prepare products with properties and characteristicspreviously only obtainable from products containing wheat and othergrains, legumes, eggs, milk, nuts and the like.

I then applied this new process for preparing white sweet potato flour,which involved reducing moisture content and incorporating more fibrousand non-farinaceous material into a flour of fine particle size, toorange sweet potatoes, and found that the properties observed for theinstant whole sweet potato flour were also the properties observed fororange and yellow varieties, hance all sweet potatoes.

Cassava: Cassava is a tuberous root of the Spurge family, Euphorbiaceae.As a fresh tuber it is boiled in salted water and consumed directly orafter further frying or baking. It is used in soups, stews, and thelike, or it is mashed to a thick paste and fried. A variety of dried,pulverized products are known including: a mash is fermented, then driedto form a coarse, crunchy meal; the fibers are separated from the starchwhich is dried and powdered. The cassava starch, also called cassavaflour, is similar in properties to cornstarch. It has quite highexpansion capabilities when mixed with water and gelatinized, and istherefore used as a thickener, an agent to increase the rise of manyproducts, and an agent to improve consistency and homogenicity. Theirare many references to cassava starch or tapioca starch in theliterature, and some references to cassava flour called tapioca flour.By their interchanging uses it is apparent that such uses generallyrefer to the starch product and not to the flour.

Prior to the instantly claimed invention, four flours of cassava wereknown. None of these flours have the properties of the instantly claimedinvention; none can be used in the ways described for the instantlyclaimed invention. The two most common cassava flours are formed fromcassava starch extraction processes: the starch and the extracted fibermat. The third flour is a composite flour, i.e., a mixture of cassavaflour and a high protein flour. The fourth flour is a whole flour ofcassava.

Cassava starch also called cassava flour, tapioca starch, and tapiocaflour, is an extract of starch from cassava pulp, that is dried andpulverized to a flour. Most literature references to cassava or tapiocaflour are references to cassava starch. Cassava starch has been used asa substitute for up to 30% of the wheat flour content in wheat-basedbread-type broducts, but it is not possible to substitute cassava starchfor more than 30% of wheat in wheat-based baking products.

Cassava meal is a highly fibrous (often fermented) meal prepared fromthe dried pulp fiber by-product of cassava starch production. Theparticles of the meal are about 1/2-1 mm in diameter. Gari, farinha, ormandioca are similar products of this type. Cassava meal is mixed withwater and fried to produce a product called cassava bread. The bread isvery hard and about 0.6 cm (1/4 inch) thick. It exhibits no risenstructure and is simply a hard mat of fibers. Other uses of the mealinclude mixing the meal with meats and gravies, preparation of a gruel,and sprinkling the meal over food.

Composite flours of cassava are combinations of cassava starch and highprotein flours, such as peanut, soy, or wheat. Non-grain breads havebeen made from cassava composite flours. About a 30:70 ratio ofhigh-protein flour to cassava starch is required, and chemicalmodifiers, fat, and sometimes malt are essential to successfulpreparation of the baked product. It has heretofore been possible to useonly composite flours, not cassava flour alone, to produce non-wheatproducts of risen structure, and the risen structure-type products haveonly been possible from composite flours when chemical modifiers and fatare also used. Until the present invention it was thought that theprotein content of and the levels of diastatic enzymes in, cassava flouror starch were too low, and that cassava flour alone could not be usedto produce baked products of risen structure.

The whole cassava flour of the prior art is prepared from the portion ofthe cassava tuber that remains after the thick peel and the woodyportions of the tuber are discarded. The pulverized meal is sieved asthe final step to flour production; these steps remove substantialamounts of fiber from the final flour product. This cassava flour doesnot have the properties of the instantly claimed flour and cannot beused successfully as a primary flour to prepare baked products and thelike.

No investigator has been able to use more than a 30% substitution of theabove whole cassava flour for wheat flour in preparation of bakedproducts, and whole cassava flour is considered greatly inferior tocassava starch. Until the present invention, it was generally thoughtthat the fiber content of cassava flour strongly interferes withformation of risen structure.

The general teachings of the art which have directed investigatorscompletely away from developing the cassava flours and the uses of theinstantly claimed invention are as follows:

1) The art teaches that the best cassava flour for baking is one whichhas a high starch level and in fact is a starch.

2) The art teaches that tubers with the highest possible starch contentand lowest possible fiber content are preferred as sources for flour.The least desirable, to the point of being unusable are post maturetubers where starch levels have dropped and lignification (resulting inhighest possible fiber content) has occurred.

3) The art also teaches against the use of the entire substance of thecassava tuber. Indeed prior art teachings concerning processing stepsfor production of cassava flour, involve selective removal anddiscarding of the most fibrous portions of the cassava tuber. In theinstantly claimed invention, the flours from such lignified tubersproduce a flour with the best properties.

When processing cassava tubers, the art teaches that the fibrous, woodyends of the cassava tubers are to be cut off and discarded, also the lowstarch inner layer of the peel is usually discarded. These teachingsproduce flours with reduced levels of protein and fiber in comparison tothe instantly claimed flour.

Cassava has a thick peel composed of a thin outer cork layer (1/2-2% oftotal weight of the tuber) and a thick inner layer composed of thephelloderm and phloem (8-15% of total weight of the tuber). On average,25% of the root is discarded as skin and trimmings. Therefore the amountof highly fibrous material removed from cassava in trimming and removingthe fibrous woody ends is about 10-15% of the total weight of the tuber.

Although if the outer cork layer of the skin is included in theinstantly claimed flour product, its presence will not alter theunexpected benefits of the instantly claimed invention, the presence ofthe thin cork layer in the flour may interfere with the taste and colorof the flour, and removal of the thin cork layer is preferred.

Even assuming that the maximum amount, 2%, of the cork layer is removed,and allowing 5% for removal of blemishes and the like, a total of about18% of the cassava tuber that is normally discarded as inner peel andwoody ends, is incorporated into the instantly claimed invention. (Thispercentage can rise to about 50% when post mature, lignified tubers areused in flour production.) The inner part of the peel, is known tocontain only about half of the amount of starch of the core of the rootand therefore contains greatly increased amounts of fiber. The highlywoody ends of the roots are even lower in starch and higher in fiberthan the inner layer of the peel.

4) The art also teaches that flour finishing steps of the art select forhigh starch and low fiber content of the finished flour. The art teachesthat in processing flour, bolting or otherwise sieving is performed toproduce a finer flour. A flour processed by screening or the like cannot contribute the part removed by screening to the finished flour, andtherefore the entire, thinly peeled substance of the tuber is notutilized. Screening processes significantly reduce the fiber content ofthe finished flour.

Sieving a cassava flour will reduce both the fiber content and theprotein content. When the most coarse fraction of a cassava flour andthe finest fractions are compared, the coarse fraction contains about3.5 times the amount of fiber of the finest fraction, and the coarsefractions are much higher in protein as well.

5) The art teaches strongly that in preparing baked products, no morethan 30% of the wheat flour ingredient may be replaced by cassava, andthat to achieve these levels requires the addition of shortening oroils, chemical modifiers, and the like.

6) The art finally teaches that non-wheat baked products of risenstructure can not be prepared from cassava flour alone, and that bakedproducts prepared from cassava flour are possible only when preparedfrom composite flours (comprised for example of cassava flour and a highprotein pressed seed flour), and other essential ingredients includingchemical modifiers and shortening.

Other than the above mentioned uses of cassava flour as an ingredient inbaked goods, there have been very few attempts to develop food productsfrom cassava flour. Pasta products have been prepared from compositeflours containing cassava flour. Cassava starch is commonly used as aminor ingredient in ice cream.

The cassava flour of the instantly claimed invention has properties thatare opposite to these teachings. The best flour is not a starch, butrather a whole flour containing increased amounts of plant fiber andother non-farinaceous materials than are previously encountered. Tuberswith high fiber content are preferred sources for the flour. Preferredprocessing steps incorporate woody parts and inner peel into the flour.The best flour comminutes all fibrous material into the flour. Preferredflours for baking are fine in particle size. Baked products from 100%cassava flour are made, and no other flours, chemical modifiers and thelike are needed other than water and a leavening agent.

In my early research on cassava, the cassava flour was made by a highspeed impact method which produced a flour of wide particle-sizedistribution, with the fibrous portions of the tuber remaining in thelarger particle sizes, and rendering the flour unsuitably heavy andgritty. When screened, (as is accepted practice in the art to obtain afine flour) the large particles were removed (this amounted to about 1/4of the flour product); this produced a lighter and less gritty flour,but one poorly suited for producing breads and other products whereconsistency and lightness are important. In addition it has been foundthat previous shreds had a high moisture content that made themsusceptible to spoilage during dehydration and produced inferiorproducts that spoiled easily.

I then developed a new process for preparing cassava flour whichinvolved reducing moisture content, incorporating more fibrous andnon-farinaceous material into the flour, and obtaining a more uniformparticle size distribution in the flour. This flour had improved storagecapability and provided products of palatable consistency. This flour,the flour of the instantly claimed invention, is previously not known.The properties of this flour are uniquely and suprisingly different fromthe previously existing flours. There would be no reason to suspect thatthe instantly claimed flour would have these properties. The new flouris suitable for use in baked and other products, and it was possible todevelop new processes, different from conventions of the art, which madeit possible to use the cassava flour of the instantly claimed inventionto prepare products with properties and characteristics previously onlyobtainable from products containing wheat and other grains, legumes,eggs, milk, nuts and the like.

Malanga: Malanga represent one of the edible aroids of the familyAraceae that includes taro, amorphophallus, tannia, yautia, eddo,cocoyam and many other species and varieties. They are widely consumedin Asia, Africa, Polynesia and Latin America, and they are almostexclusively eaten fresh by families who grow them. The term malanga, asused in this specification, is intended to include taro, amorphophallus,tannia, yautia, and the many other species and varieties.

There are few teachings of the art regarding any uses of edible aroids.The tubers are cooked and eaten, or the cooked tubers are pounded to apaste-like consistency and given to infants and the infirm. The paste isalso used to make poi. The cooked tubers in a time-consuming process,are grated and combined with grated plantain or cassava. The mixture isstuffed with stew meat, and fried or wrapped in banana leaves and boiledin salted water. The final products are called pasteles or alcapurrias.Poi is dried and flaked to produce a product that can be rehydrated toproduce an instant poi.

There are few references to malanga, taro, amorphophallus and othertubers of the family Araceae in the patent literature. U.S. Pat. No.3,767,424 describes a method of separating starch from the tubers ofAmorphophallus konjac, a tuber in the family Araceae. Starches fromedible aroids produced by the above process and others are usedcommercially as thickening agents, in pharmaceutical products, and thelike.

A very coarse flour (0.75 cm (0.3 inch) mesh opening) of tannia is theonly whole flour of edible aroids known prior to the instantly claimedinvention. The coarse flour was combined with water and rehydrated toform an edible food product whose properties are similar to those of thefresh tuber. This flour cannot be used according to the teachings of theinstantly claimed invention to prepare products of risen structure andthe like.

In the process for preparing the only flour known, the art teaches aprocess step of prolonged soaking. I find that the step of soaking inwater greatly increases the water content of the tuber, prolongs thetime period where conditions favor mold, and makes the drying materialshighly susceptible to, and virtually unable to avoid, mold formation inthe drying step. The instantly claimed invention teaches steps ofminimizing soaking in water during peeling and during other processsteps, immediate beginning of dehydration after shedding or otherwisecomminuting, and achieving a dried product in the shortest possible timeto avoid a sour taste in the dried product.

There is no teaching of the art regarding the use of malanga flour orthe flour of other edible aroids in the preparation of baked products.Indeed, this use would not be possible with the only flour heretoforeavailable.

The malanga flour of the instantly claimed invention is previously notknown. The properties of this flour are uniquely and suprisinglydifferent from the previously existing flours.

In my early research on malanga flour, I soaked the malanga tubers andthen shredded them prior to dehydration. The soaking caused largeportions of the drying shreds to spoil before becoming sufficiently dryand large amounts had to be discarded; the mold levels were unacceptablyhigh in the dried product and palatability was poor. This problem wascorrected by eliminating the step of soaking.

My first malanga flour product was prepared according to the conventionsof the art. The flour contained a relatively wide particle-sizedistribution, with the fibrous portions of the tuber remaining in thelarger particle sizes, and rendering the flour unsuitably heavy andgritty. When screened, (as is accepted practice in the art to obtain afine flour) the large particles were removed; this produced a lighterand less gritty flour, but one poorly suited for producing breads andother products where consistency and lightness are important.

I then developed a new process for preparing malanga flour whichinvolved reducing moisture content, incorporating more fibrous andnon-farinaceous material into the flour, and obtaining a more uniformparticle size distribution in the flour. This flour had improved storagecapability and provided products of palatable consistency. This flour,the flour of the instantly claimed invention, is suitable for use inbaked and other products, and it was possible to develop new processes,different from conventions of the art, which made it possible to use themalanga flour of the instantly claimed invention to prepare productswith properties and characteristics previously only obtainable fromproducts containing wheat and other grains, legumes, eggs, milk, nutsand the like.

Yam: There are no references to yam flours or products containing yamsin the U.S. patent literature. Prior to the instantly claimed invention,flours of yam (Dioscorea spp.) were known, however during processingfrom raw vegetable to dried flour, a powerfully strong and oftenstrongly bitter taste was introduced. There is no mention in theliterature of any interest in reducing the strong or bitter taste, norof any investigations in this area. Rather there seems to be a matter offact acceptance of this property of the flour. Emphasis is placed onhelping consumers become accustomed to the taste, and on a search for aless bitter yam variety.

Prior to the instantly claimed invention, attempts were made by othersto use the strong flavored or bitter flours of the art them in bakedproducts. Such yam flours have-been used in pancakes, cupcakes, rolls,and breads. Yam flour was substituted for 50% of the wheat flour inproducts of pancakes, cupcakes, and rolls, for 20% of the wheat flour inproducts of bread, and in one batch of cupcakes yam flour wassubstituted for 100% of the wheat flour. All such products includedother ingredients such as milk, eggs, sugar, and the like. Such otheringredients were required to mask the disagreeable taste of the flour,as well as to contribute to needed texture and structure.

Other than the above mentioned uses of yam flour as an ingredient inbaked goods, there are no known attempts to develop food products fromyam flour.

There are no teachings regarding the use of such yam flour to preparemilk substitutes, egg substitutes, substitutes for nut butters, or floursubstitutes other than baked products of risen structure. There isfurther no teaching to suggest that such uses are possible.

To develop satisfactory uses for yam, processes for using the flour hadto be developed, but these could not be used to prepare good tastingproducts unless a bland, non-bitter flour could be prepared.

As a first step in developing a non-bitter flour, the applicant began byobserving that the traditional ways for cooking fresh yams involverelatively gentle, moist heat cooking techniques. When prepared in thismanner, the yams are very bland and pleasant tasting; the taste andtexture are difficult to distinguish from similarly cooked freshpotatoes. When high heat methods of cooking, particularly with oil, suchas in frying, are used, the yam becomes strongly flavored or stronglybitter. When yams are baked, or air dried with heat (even low heat),they become strongly, disagreeably, bitter.

In processes of producing yam flour, the applicant has found that artrecognized techniques of dehydration, such as air drying with heat orsun drying, resulted in the introduction of a strong flavor or bittertaste. Furthermore processes of comminuting dried yam to produce flouralso caused the flour to turn strongly flavored or bitter.

As is known in the art, when yams are cooked prior to sun drying or airdrying with heat, the cooked, dried yam shreds, pieces, or chips becomeless bitter than those of uncooked yam, but the bitter taste is stillpresent. The cooked, dried shreds and the like are very hard and requireharsh grinding conditions, e.g., longer grinding times and greater forceapplied, than is required for uncooked shreds. The applicant has foundthat the more harsh grinding conditions necessary for cooked, dried yamshreds causes the strong bitter taste to reappear. Therefore both cookedand uncooked dried yam flours of the are tend to be strong flavored andbitter.

The applicant has found that a good tasting, not bitter yam flour couldbe prepared when low temperature drying and grinding conditions wereused to produce cooked and uncooked flours, and that these flours couldthen be used in baked products.

To produce a flour that could best be used in preparation of bakedproducts and the like, it was further found that retaining as much ofthe fiber in the flour as possible improved the characteristics. Thenew, non-bitter yam flour, otherwise produced by the conventions of theart could not be used to prepare the desired products In my firstattempts to prepare yam flour, the flour produced had a relatively wideparticle-size distribution, with the fibrous portions of the tuberremaining in the larger particle sizes, and rendering the flourunsuitably heavy and gritty. When screened, (as is accepted practice inthe art to obtain a fine flour) the large particles were removed; thisproduced a lighter and less gritty flour, but one poorly suited forproducing breads and other products where consistency and lightness areimportant. In addition it has been found that previous shreds had a highmoisture content that made them susceptible to spoilage duringdehydration and produced inferior products that spoiled easily.

I then developed a new process for preparing yam flour which involvedreducing moisture content, incorporating more fibrous andnon-farinaceous material into the flour, and obtaining a more uniformparticle size distribution in the flour. This flour had improved storagecapability and provided products of palatable consistency. This flour,the flour of the instantly claimed invention, is suitable for use inbaked and other products, and it was possible to develop new processes,different from conventions of the art, which made it possible to use thenew yam flour to prepare products with properties and characteristicspreviously only obtainable from products containing wheat and othergrains, legumes, eggs, milk, nuts and the like.

By these methods, a flour was produced that not only eliminated theproblem of strong flavor or bitter taste, but which could also be usedin novel processes to produce good tasting baked and other productswherein yam flour was not only the sole flour, but also was essentiallythe sole ingredient. Yam flour alone can be used to produce good tastingproducts, and added ingredients such as fat, eggs, milk, chemicalmodifiers and the like are not essential to preparation of acceptableproducts; although their use is not precluded.

A yam flour without a strong flavor or bitter taste and with theproperties described above is unknown prior to the instantly claimedinvention. No yam flour in the prior art has the properties of theinstantly claimed invention; no yam flour in the prior art can be usedin the ways described for the instantly claimed invention.

The general teachings of the art which have directed investigatorscompletely away from developing the yam flours and the uses of theinstantly claimed invention are as follows:

1) The art teaches that yam flours are disagreeable and strongly bitterin taste. This flavor carries into the finished, baked productsrendering them strongly flavored or bitter or requiring the use of otheringredients to mask the taste.

2) The art also teaches that to successfully prepare baked productsrequires inclusion of other ingredients such as milk, sugar, eggs,chemical modifiers and the like.

3) The art finally teaches that even with the above ingredients, breadswith satisfactory properties of 20-40% and higher yam flour contentcannot be made, and that most other products can not be made at levelshigher than 50%.

The yam flour of the instantly claimed invention has properties that areopposite to these teachings. The flour is not strongly flavored orbitter in taste. Baked products from 100% yam flour can be made, and noother flours, chemical modifiers, other ingredients, and the like areneeded other than water and a leavening agent to make such bakedproducts.

The yam flour of the instantly claimed invention is previously notknown. The properties of this flour are uniquely and suprisinglydifferent from the previously existing flours. There would be no reasonto suspect that the instantly claimed flour would have these properties.

Amaranth: Amaranth flour products known prior to the instantly claimedinvention are coarse, heavy, and grainy, the consistency of cornmeal-type products. When used to produce products in which the heavyflour was the primary ingredient other than water or oil, the productswere inferior in consistency, texture and palatability.

Prior to the instantly claimed invention, the following flours ofamaranth are known: a coarse whole flour of amaranth, a fine sievedfraction of the coarse whole amaranth flour, and amaranth flours formedby pulverizing popped, toasted or parched amaranth. None of these flourshave the properties of the instantly claimed invention; none can be usedin the ways described for the instantly claimed invention.

1) Whole raw amaranth flour is a coarse meal of amaranth seeds. Amaranthseeds are very small, ranging from 0.9-1.5 mm in diameter, and they arevery hard. The whole amaranth flours known in the art that are milledfrom raw amaranth are coarse, grainy and heavy, with a consistencysimilar to that of corn meal.

The finest whole amaranth flour previously known to the applicant priorto the instantly claimed invention is a flour in which amaranth seedswere milled and then sifted through a screen with openings of 420microns (40-mesh). This particle size is very coarse for amaranthgrains; a particle with a diameter one-third that of an unmilled seedwould pass through this aperture. Such a flour is gritty and heavy, withthe consistency of heavy corn meal. This flour is also sieved andtherefore has different properties from truely whole amaranth flour.

When prior investigators used such amaranth flour in the preparation ofbread products, the investigators were able to use such amaranth flourfor up to 20% of the wheat flour in wheat-containing products withouttoo great of an effect on overall properties; however, other ingredientsincluding yeast, lard, sugar, malt, milk, various emulsifiers,flavorings and the like were included in the products. No products wereprepared without the added ingredients. Such amaranth flour can be usedfor as much as 50% of the wheat flour ingredient in cookies, pizzadoughs, and short pasta, and as much as 5% in long pasta. These levelsrepresent the upper limits of the teachings of the art regarding usesand possible substitutions of sifted, coarse, raw amaranth flours forwheat flours.

2) Fine, raw amaranth flour is the sifted, coarse raw amaranth flourdescribed above that is further milled to a finer flour by bolting andsieving techniques. From a typical milling process, the followingfractions are generally obtained: 52.6% `bran`, 20.1% broken grains,16.2% coarse flour and 10.4% fine flour.

Other investigators have shown that fiber and protein contents ofvarious flour fractions are significantly different. When the coarseamaranth meal is passed through a 177 micron (80 mesh) screen, theresulting flour fraction contains about 24-36% of the protein. A morecoarse fraction, obtained by passing the coarse meal through a 250micron (60 mesh) screen contained only 8-9% protein. Still fineramaranth flours can be made by passing the flour through a 149 micron(100 mesh) screen.

Fine amaranth flours comprise from about 10 to 30% of the originalmaterial of the seed. The finer the flour fraction, the greater thedifference there is in protein content, fiber content, and the like incomparison to the unmilled seed.

In prior attempts by other investigators to use amaranth flours incombination with wheat and other ingredients to prepare baked products,the more coarse fraction (420-250 micron (40-60 mesh) openings) was thepreferred fraction, requiring reduced mixing times, and producingproducts with improved sensory properties and larger volumes. There isno suggestion in the teachings of the art that would direct one ofordinary skill in the art to explore the properties of finer,non-fractionated flours.

3) Popped, toasted, parched amaranth flours are produced by firstpopping, toasting or parching amaranth seeds, and then pulverizing toform a flour. These flours are prepared because amaranth is easier tomill after seeds have been treated with high heat, and thus finer flourscan be prepared more easily. These flours are also subjected to thecommon particle size separations.

Although these flours may be easier to mill, the heat treatmentprocesses result in changes in the structure of the seeds and resultingflour. These flours therefore are not well suited to the products andprocesses of the instantly claimed invention.

The general teachings of the art which have directed investigatorscompletely away from developing the amaranth flours and the uses of theinstantly claimed invention are as follows:

1) The art teaches that the best amaranth flour for baking is the coarsefraction sieved form the coarse whole amaranth flour.

2) The art teaches that in preparing baked products of risen structure,no more than 20% of the wheat flour ingredient may be replaced by wholeamaranth. The art also teaches that amounts of amaranth flour varyingfrom 5-50% may be substituted for wheat flours in selected products suchas cookies, pizza dough, pastas, and the like.

3) The art finally teaches that to prepare breads and the like fromamaranth composite flours requires as essential ingredients in additionto amaranth and wheat flours: sugar, fat, milk, malt, chemicalmodifiers, and the like.

In working with amaranth flours, I began by separating coarse and fineflour fractions from the coarse whole amaranth flour as described in theart. When the various fractions were used as the sole flour in bakedproducts, milk substitutes, and the like, heavy, crumbly, and largelyundesirable products were produced. To achieve the texture,cohesiveness, and desired risen structure of products produced from anamaranth flour, a fine, whole amaranth flour was needed.

Such a flour, the flour of the instantly claimed invention, was milledin a stone mill set at the finest setting possible and the meal waspassed in small amounts through the mill, with repetitions as necessaryto produce a finely comminuted flour. However the flour can be preparedby any techniques necessary to achieve the desired result, provided thatmechanical flour fraction separation processes are minimized.

With this flour the applicant was able to develop processes appropriateto the production of many previously unavailable products. The newamaranth flour, together with only water, oil, and leavening, is used tomake breads, cookies, pastas, and the like. There are no teachingsregarding the use of amaranth flour to prepare milk substitutes, eggsubstitutes, or substitutes for nut butters. There is no teaching tosuggest that such uses are possible.

Based on the information available and based on the teachings of theart, an investigator with average skill in the art would have no reasonto suspect the surprising improvements in quality and characteristics ofthe instantly claimed amaranth flour.

It has now been found that flours having finer, more uniform particlesize can be prepared that produce greatly improved products includingthose where amaranth flour is the primary or only ingredient other thanwater and oil. Lotus: Lotus was investigated as a source for new foodproducts. Lotus is an aquatic plant which is virtually completelyedible. The lotus produces tuberous roots which are commonly eaten inthe Orient as side dishes and in combination with many otheringredients. Lotus starch exists in commerce with typical uses ofstarch. Prior to the present invention, a whole flour of lotus wasunknown.

In my early research on developing lotus flour, the lotus flour was madeby a high speed impact method which produced a flour of wideparticle-size distribution, with the fibrous portions of the tuberremaining in the larger particle sizes, and rendering the flourunsuitably heavy and gritty. When screened, (as is accepted practice inthe art to obtain a fine flour) the large particles were removed; thisproduced a lighter and less gritty flour, but one poorly suited forproducing breads and other products where consistency and lightness areimportant.

I then developed a new process for preparing lotus flour which involvedincorporating more fibrous and non-farinaceous material into the flour,and obtaining a more uniform particle size distribution in the flour.This flour, the flour of the instantly claimed invention, is suitablefor use in baked and other products, and it was possible to develop newprocesses, different from conventions of the art, for using the lotusflour of the instantly claimed invention to prepare products withproperties and characteristics previously only obtainable from productscontaining wheat and other grains, legumes, eggs, milk, nuts and thelike.

SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It is one object of the present invention to provide flours andadvantageous processes for producing flours from the sweet potato andall other tubers of the family Convolvulaceae. Throughout thisapplication, the words `camote` and `boniato` will refer to the dark orlight red or purple skinned varieties of the white or creamy fleshedsweet potato. Throughout this application the term `sweet potato` willrefer to sweet potatoes and to tubers of family Convolvulaceae.

Similarly, it is one object of the present invention to provide floursand advantageous processes for producing flours from: 1) the tubers ofthe cassava and all other plants producing edible tubers or tuberousroots of the family Euphorbiaceae; 2) tubers of malanga and all plantsproducing tubers of the family Araceae; 3) the seeds of the amaranth,quinoa and all other seeds from the families Chenopodiaceae andAmaranthaceae, 4) the tubers of the yam and all plants producing tubersin the family Dioscoreaceae; and 5) the tubers of the lotus, arrowhead,buckbean and all other plants producing tubers in the familiesNymphaeaceae, Alismataceae, and Gentianaceae.

Throughout this section, `Summary of the Preferred Embodiments`, theterms `flour` or `flours` will refer to the flours of the abovereferenced seeds or tubers--namely flours of sweet potato, cassava,malanga, amaranth, quinoa, sugar beets, yam, lotus, arrowhead, andbuckbean, and flours from other varieties in closely ralatedfamilies--prepared by the processes of the instantly claimed invention.

Another object of the present invention to provide advantageousprocesses of producing valuable edible products from the flours. matterfrom the flour.

Another object of the present invention is to provide advantageousprocesses for producing substitutes for milk, milk-products, and milkcontaining products.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide advantageousprocesses for producing substitutes for products containing eggs.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide advantageousprocesses for producing substitutes for legumes and legume-containingproducts.

Another object of the present invention is to provide advantageousprocesses for producing substitutes for nut butter products and productscontaining nut butters.

Another object of the present invention is to provide advantageousprocesses for producing substitutes for wheat, other grains, legumes,eggs, milk, and yeast-containing products using the above referencedflours as essentially the only ingredient.

Another object of the present invention is to provide flours capable ofmaintaining a risen structure in the absence of grain flour, legumeflour, added fiber, dough modifiers, conditioners, and/or emulsifiers.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide novel andadvantageous processes for producing the following products with theabove referenced flours as the only ingredient other than ingredientsselected from: water, oil, salt, and leavening agent: pastas, cereals,pancakes, bread, cakes, creamed cereals, cereal shreds, imitation nutbutters, imitation mayonnaise, mashed potato substitutes, breads, breadcrumbs, croutons, cookies, crackers, tortillas, chips, puffed chip-likeproducts, cornbread, pie crust, pizza dough, dough-wrapped products,doughnuts, dumplings, hush puppies, pretzels, batter, milk, ice cream,milk shake, puddings, custards, light and heavy creams, condensed milk,muffins, waffles, french toast, crepes, sweet potato pie, and dry mixesfor many products.

Another object of the present invention is to provide novel andadvantageous processes for producing the following products with theabove referenced flours as a primary ingredient: pastas, cereals,pancakes, bread, cakes, creamed cereals, cereal shreds, imitation nutbutters, imitation mayonnaise, mashed potato substitutes, breads, breadcrumbs, croutons, cookies, crackers, tortillas, chips, puffed chip-likeproducts, cornbread, pie crust, pizza dough, dough-wrapped products,doughnuts, dumplings, hush puppies, pretzels, batter, milk, ice cream,milk shake, puddings, custards, light and heavy creams, condensed milk,muffins, waffles, french toast, protein coating batter, crepes, sweetpotato pie, and dry mixes for many products.

Another object of the present invention is to provide advantageousprocesses for producing infant formulas.

Another object of the present invention is to use the new flours as apartial substitute of conventional flours and materials including butnot limited to grain flour, legume flour, added fiber, dough modifiers,conditioners, emulsifiers, wheat, corn, oats, millet, rice, rye, barley,milo, popcorn, sorghun, triticale, wild rice, teff, spelt, buckwheat,lentil, soy, peanut, garbanzo, mung, pea, bean, guar, kudzu, acacia,fenugreek, jicama, tonka, tamarind, tragacanth, lima, linseed,cottonseed, Jesuit's nut, cycad seeds, glycerine monostearate,hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, calcium stearoylactylate, pentosans,sodium stearoylactylate, malt, glycerol ester of fatty acids, diacetyltartaric acid, glycerol monoester emulsifiers, hydrophilic gum,cellulose ethers, hulls of vegetable origin, vegetable fiber, alphacellulose flour, bran, rice hulls, oat hulls, amaranth hulls, milohulls, corn cobs, bean hulls, soybean hulls, dried vegetable juices,sodium carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, karaya gum,algin, agar, carrageenan, mucilages, and gums.

Another object of the present invention is to provide advantageousprocesses for producing pharmaceutical products that are more effectivefor allergy patients by the use of hypoallergenic flours such as theabove referenced flours as inert ingredients.

Another object of the present invention is to provide advantageousprocesses for producing cosmetics containing the above referenced floursas cosmetic base and facial powder, and other uses.

It is one object of the present invention is to provide new flours ornew combinations of ingredients, with properties similar to those ofsweet potato and other whole flours described in the above referencedpatent applications. These new flours or ingredient combinations may beprovided by obtaining and combining separately the major components ofthe whole flours. In other words whole flours may be used to obtainbaked products of risen structure, and in addition combined floursobtained by combining starch, insoluble fiber, and soluble fiber may beused to obtain baked products of risen structure. These flours may becombined prior to baking or may be added to doughs together or atseparate times during dough preparation.

The present invention is also concerned with the utilization of otherroot vegetables, seeds, or starchy fruits such as potatoes, arrowroot,water chestnut, sugar beets, jicama, buckwheat, legumes, millet, milo,barley, oats, corn, teff, rice, cotton seed meal, bread fruit, pumpkin,winter squash, white squash, plantain, banana, and jack fruit, with thepurpose of producing various flours from the tubers, and other valuableedible products and industrial products.

Briefly, these objects and other objects of the present invention ashereinafter will become more readily apparent can be attained by aplurality of method embodiments which employ the above referenced floursto prepare a variety of different foodstuffs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Sweet potatoes and all other edible tubers of family Convolvulaceae: Thewords sweet potato as used in this application are intended to includesweet potatoes and all other tubers of the family Convolvulaceae.

It has now been found that a flour from sweet potatoes that is useful inthe production of many food products can be made. Moreover the flour canbe used in every way wheat flour is used, although the processes aretotally different.

Because sweet potatoes are frequently well-tolerated by people withmultiple food allergies, and would be a highly nutritious,hypoallergenic food stuff, the applicant carefully investigated sweetpotatoes.

In my previous attempts to prepare flour of the desired properties,white sweet potato flour was made by soaking white sweet potato tubersin water between the peeling and drying steps, it has now been foundthat the soaking step can be eliminated thus eliminating spoilageproblems during drying steps and producing a flour of lower moisturecontent. Furthermore the applicant has found that eliminating a highimpact grinding method, produced a more uniformly fine flour whichincorporates a greater proportion of the plant fiber into the flour,thus greatly improving the ability of the doughs to hold a rise andproduce consistently uniform products.

In the preferred embodiment, sweet potatoes are subjected to anypreprocessing steps of washing, scrubbing, cutting, rinsing and thelike, peeled by any techniques of the art, peeling while clean (notrecycled) water is passing over the tubers is preferred although sweetpotatoes may also be processed unpeeled and with or without simultaneouswashing and peeling, rinsing (in distilled water is preferred althoughmay be omitted), comminuting, slicing, chopping or any other techniquedesired (although not necessary), preferably shredding; dehydrating thematerial by air drying (at any appropriate temperature), freeze drying,vacuum drying or any other technique or combination of techniques of theart, preferably air drying, and comminuting by such techniques as toproduce a moderately fine to fine flour with a moisture content of lessthan 20%, preferably with a moisture content of less than 15%, morepreferably a moisture content of 2-5%, still more preferably a moisturecontent of less than 5%, still more preferably a moisture content ofless than 2%, that incorporates 20% or more of the plant fiber,preferably uses 100% of the fibers, in other words, incorporates theentire tuber into the flour or other products produced. Moderately fineor fine flours are desired.

Specifically, comminute shreds to produce a flour with a particle sizeselected from: coarse meal, moderately fine flour or powder, fine flouror powder, or very fine powder. Fine or very fine flours are preferred,except where a coarse flour is indicated by use. Preferablysubstantially all of the flour passes through a screen with openings of0.6 mm (0.02 inch) mesh. More preferably substantially all of the flourpasses through a screen with openings of 0.38 mm (0.015 inch) mesh. Morepreferrably substantially all of the flour passes through a screen withopenings of 0.127 mm (0.005 inch) mesh. A flour in which substantiallyall of the flour passes through a screen with openings of 0.025 mm(0.001 inch) is also preferred.

In pulverizing and comminuting steps, desired particle size is achievedwhile retaining most or all of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceoussubstance of the tuber. Preferably the flour product contains at least50% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber,more preferably the flour product contains at least 75% of the plantfiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber, more preferablythe flour product contains at least 90% of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber, most preferably the flourproduct contains substantially all of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber.

Dry raw sweet potatoes may be processed to flour material. Thus, in oneflour embodiment, dried peeled or unpeeled tubers are preferably peeled,comminuted to a moderately fine to fine powder by any conventionalmeans, preferably a particle size of 0.38 mm (0.015 inch) and less.

In yet another embodiment the above process is repeated with the addedstep of partial or complete cooking of the sweet potato by steamheating, boiling, baking or any other desired means, steam heating ispreferred, either severally, prior to, or in combination with, dryingsteps or any other step or steps in the process to produce a cooked orpartially cooked flour product.

In the work with sweet potato flour I began product development byfollowing recipes for wheat flour, and making substitutions according tostandard formulas given in allergy cookbooks for egg and milk replacers.The result was resound failures. For example, the bread rose nicely,only to fall flat, and had a 0.6 cm to 3.8 cm (0.25-1.5 inch) gummylayer on the bottom, the early loaves of bread were about 7 cm (2.75inches) high along the sides and 3.8 cm (1.5 inches) high in the center.Wheat-based processes could not be readily adapted for use with the newflour; they were abandoned, and new processes not heretofore known weredeveloped.

Cassava tubers and all other edible tubers of the family Euphorbiaceae:

The word cassava as used in this patent application is intended toinclude cassava and all other tubers of the family Euphorbiaceae.

It has now been found that flour from cassava can be used in theproduction of many food products. Moreover the flour can be used inevery way wheat flour is used, although the processes are totallydifferent.

In my previous attempts to prepare flour of the desired properties,cassava flour was made by soaking cassava tubers in water between thepeeling and drying steps. It has now been found that the soaking stepcan be eliminated thus eliminating spoilage problems during drying stepsand producing a flour of lower moisture content. Furthermore, theapplicant has found that eliminating a high impact grinding method,produced a more uniformly fine flour which incorporates a greaterproportion of the plant fiber into the flour, thus greatly improving theability of the doughs to hold a rise and produce consistently uniformproducts.

In a preferred embodiment, cassava and other tubers are subjected to anypreprocessing steps of washing, scrubbing, culling, rinsing and thelike, peeled by any techniques of the art, peeling while clean (notrecycled) water is passing over the tubers is preferred although cassavamay also be processed unpeeled, rinsing (in distilled water is preferredalthough may be omitted), comminuting, slicing, chopping or any othertechniques desired (although not necessary), preferably shredding;dehydrating the material by air drying (at any appropriate temperature),freeze drying, vacuum drying or any other techniques or combination oftechniques of the art, preferably air drying, and comminuting by suchtechniques as to produce a flour with a moisture content of less than20%, preferably with a moisture content of less than 15%, morepreferably a moisture content of 2-5%, still more preferably a moisturecontent of less than 5%, still more preferably a moisture content ofless than 2%, that incorporates 20% or more of the plant fiber,preferably uses 100% of the fibers, in other words, incorporates theentire tuber into the flour or other products produced.

Specifically, comminute shreds to produce a flour with a particle sizeselected from: coarse meal, moderately fine flour or powder, fine flouror powder, or very fine powder. Fine or very fine flours are preferred,except where a coarse flour is indicated by use. Preferablysubstantially all of the flour passes through a screen with openings of0.6 mm (0.02 inch) mesh. More preferably substantially all of the flourpasses through a screen with openings of 0.38 mm (0.015 inch) mesh. Morepreferrably substantially all of the flour passes through a screen withopenings of 0.127 mm (0.005 inch) mesh. A flour in which substantiallyall of the flour passes through a screen with openings of 0.025 mm(0.001 inch) is also preferred.

In comminuting and comminuting steps, desired particle size is achievedwhile retaining most or all of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceoussubstance of the tuber. Preferably the flour product contains at least50% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber(which is defined to include woody ends, inner portions of the peel, andother woody portions that are not incorporated into cassava flour), morepreferably the flour product contains at least 75% of the plant fiberand other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber, more preferably theflour product contains at least 90% of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber, most preferably the flourproduct contains substantially all of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber.

Dry raw cassava may be processed to flour material. Thus, in one flourembodiment, dried peeled or unpeeled tubers are preferably peeled,comminuted to a moderately fine to fine powder by any conventionalmeans, preferably a particle size of 0.38 mm (0.015 inch) and less.

In another embodiment, a cooked flour may be produced in the methodabove with the added step of heating by any means available to the artin processes prior to, during, or after and in any combination with theprocesses listed above.

In the work with cassava, I began product development by followingrecipes for wheat flour, and making substitutions according to standardformulas given in allergy cookbooks for egg and milk replacers. Theresult was resound failures. Wheat-based processes could not be readilyadapted for use with the new flour; they were abandoned, and newprocesses not heretofore known were developed.

Malanga and other edible aroids: The word malanga as used in this patentapplication is intended to include the edible aroids, including malanga,taro, amorphophallus, and all other tubers of the family Araceae.

It has now been found that flour from malanga can be used in theproduction of many food products. Moreover the flour can be used inevery way wheat flour is used, although the processes are totallydifferent.

Because malanga are frequently well-tolerated by people with multiplefood allergies, and would be a highly nutritious, hypoallergenic foodstuff, I carefully investigated malanga and found that malanga, andother tubers of family Araceae are well suited to multiple foodproducts. The malanga is similar in size and shape to a white Russetpotato, often being slightly smaller in girth. The inside flesh is crispbut oozes a sticky latex like fluid, the flesh is generally white butmay also be yellow, pink, or violet. The outer skin is hairy andbulb-like in appearance. The malanga in taste and texture after cookingis very similar to a white potato, but when cooling after heat treatmentand gelatinization, the malanga becomes more firm. The malanga and taroare not well known in the U.S., except for its use in making poi, but itis appearing in produce departments of gourmet food stores where it issold as a potato substitute. In tropical countries throughout the world,malanga, taro, etc are well known as yautia, cocoyam, eddo, coco,tannia, and sato imo. Common uses include: fu-fu, a very heavy pasteeaten with soups and stews; poi; gravies and sauces from the starch; andheavy, taro breads where mashed vegetable paste is added to wheat andegg based dough mixtures.

In my previous attempts to prepare flour of the desired properties,malanga flour was made by soaking malanga tubers in water between thepeeling and drying steps, it has now been found that the soaking stepcan be eliminated thus eliminating spoilage problems during drying stepsand producing a flour of lower moisture content. Furthermore theapplicant has found that eliminating a high impact grinding method,produced a more uniformly fine flour which incorporates a greaterproportion of the plant fiber into the flour, thus greatly improving theability of the doughs to hold a rise and produce consistently uniformproducts.

In the preferred embodiment malanga and other tubers are subjected toany preprocessing steps of washing, scrubbing, cutting, rinsing and thelike, peeled by any techniques of the art, peeling while clean (notrecycled) water in passing over the tubers is preferred although malangamay also be processed unpeeled, rinsing (in distilled water is preferredalthough may be omitted), comminuting, slicing, chopping or any othertechnique desired (although not necessary) preferably shredding;dehydrating the material by air drying (at any appropriate temperature),freeze drying, vacuum drying or any other technique or combination oftechniques of the art, preferably air drying, and comminuting by suchtechniques as to produce a flour with a moisture content of less than20%, preferably with a moisture content of less than 15%, morepreferably a moisture content of 2-5%, still more preferably a moisturecontent of less than 5%, still more preferably a moisture content ofless than 2%, that incorporates 20% or more of the plant fiber,preferably uses 100% of the fibers, in other words, incorporates theentire tuber into the flour or other products produced.

Specifically, comminute shreds to produce a flour with a particle sizeselected from: coarse meal, moderately fine flour or powder, fine flouror powder, or very fine powder. Fine or very fine flours are preferred,except where a coarse flour is indicated by use. Preferablysubstantially all of the flour passes through a screen with openings of0.6 mm (0.02 inch) mesh. More preferably substantially all of the flourpasses through a screen with openings of 0.38 mm (0.015 inch) mesh. Morepreferrably substantially all of the flour passes through a screen withopenings of 0.127 mm (0.005 inch) mesh. A flour in which substantiallyall of the flour passes through a screen with openings of 0.025 mm(0.001 inch) is also preferred.

In pulverizing and comminuting steps, desired particle size is achievedwhile retaining most or all of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceoussubstance of the tuber. Preferably the flour product contains at least50% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber,more preferably the flour product contains at least 75% of the plantfiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber, more preferablythe flour product contains at least 90% of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber, most preferably the flourproduct contains substantially all of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber.

Dry raw malanga may be processed to flour material. Thus, in one flourembodiment, dried peeled or unpeeled tubers are preferably peeled,comminuted to a moderately fine to fine powder by any conventionalmeans, preferably a particle size of 0.38 mm (0.015 inch) and less.

In another embodiment, a partially or completely cooked flour may beproduced in the method above with the added step of heating by any meansavailable to the art in processes prior to, during, or after and in anycombination with the processes listed above.

In the work with malanga, I began product development by followingrecipes for wheat flour, and making substitutions according to standardformulas given in allergy cookbooks for egg and milk replacers. Theresult was resound failures. Wheat-based processes could not be readilyadapted for use with the new flour; they were abandoned, and newprocesses not heretofore known were developed.

Tropical yams and other tubers of family Dioscoreaceae: The word "yam"as used in this patent application is intended to include the name andcush-cush, and all other tubers in the family Dioscoreaceae.

It has now been found that flour from yams and other tuberous plants inthe family, Dioscoreaceae can be used in the production of many foodproducts.

The yam also called name, cush-cush, and mapuey and so forth is a tuberthat varies in size from smaller than a potato to 45 Kg (100 pounds) andmore. Several varieties include black, yellow and white. The outsideskin may be reddish-brown, brown, grey, or black and so forth. Thisvariety is not well known in the U.S. where it is used primarily bypeople from Central and South America in the traditional ways of theirhomelands. In these countries the fresh tuber is used in almost any waya white potato is used--baked, fried (but will be very strongly flavoredor bitter), boiled, mashed. The yam also has been processed for thestarch which is used as a thickener.

In the first embodiment, a pleasantly mild-flavored and non-bitter flouror flour-like substance is made from tropical yams in processesinvolving optional peeling by any conventional means, optional rinsing,trimming, optional cooking steps, optional shredding or otherwisecomminuting to any desired size, and then drying by any means thatavoids introducing a strong flavor or bitter taste into the flour suchas air drying, freeze drying, vacuum drying, and the like, preferablydrying at temperatures less than 10° C. (50° F.), more preferably dryingat temperatures less than 0° C. (32° F.), and comminuting the driedproducts under any conditions that would not heat or otherwise changethe particles sufficiently to introduce a strong flavor or bitter tasteinto the flour. These steps may be taken in any desired combination, inany desired order, including simultaneously.

In a preferred embodiment, yam and other tubers are subjected to anypreprocessing steps of washing, scrubbing, culling, rinsing and thelike, peeled by any techniques of the art, peeling while clean (notrecycled) water is passing over the tubers is preferred although yam mayalso be processed unpeeled, rinsing (in distilled water is preferredalthough may be omitted), comminuting, slicing, chopping or any othertechniques desired (although not necessary), preferably shredding;dehydrating the material by air drying (at any appropriate temperature),freeze drying, vacuum drying or any other techniques or combination oftechniques of the art, preferably air drying, and comminuting by suchtechniques as to produce a flour with a moisture content of less than20%, preferably with a moisture content of less than 15%, morepreferably a moisture content of 2-5%, still more preferably a moisturecontent of less than 5%, still more preferably a moisture content ofless than 2%, that incorporates 20% or more of the plant fiber, morepreferably 50% or mor of the plant fiber, more preferably 75% or more ofthe plant fiber, still more preferably 90% or more of the plant fiber,most preferably uses 100% or substantially all of the fibers, in otherwords, incorporates the entire tuber into the flour or other productsproduced.

Preferably, the tubers are peeled and trimmed to remove spots, wormholes, moldy or spotted sections and the like, while being held underrunning water, rinsed in distilled water, cut into cubes of any size,preferably 5 cm×5 cm×5 cm (2×2×2 inches), and subjected to heat withsteam until thoroughly gelatinized. The tubers are then trimmed toremove all black, grey or otherwise discolored sections, and dried by alow temperature drying method such as freeze-drying. The dried productis then comminuted to a flour of various particle size distribution in alow temperature grinding process, in one method the dried flour isfrozen and comminuted while still very cold and with short bursts ofpower to avoid the bitter taste.

In another embodiment, a method for making flour of tubers of familyDioscoreaceae comprises the steps of; a) drying the tuber at lowtemperatures; b) comminuting the tuber at low temperatures; c) retainingmost if not all of the fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of thetuber, and d) obtaining a non-bitter flour product having 2-20%moisture, a particle size diameter of at least less than 0.005 inch,with said particles being relatively uniform in particle sizedistribution, and containing at least 75% of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber.

In another preferred embodiment, the tubers are peeled as describedabove and then comminuted to any desired size, dried by freeze-drying orother vacuum drying methods, comminuted to flour of various particlesizes by any method that does not raise the temperature of the flour orotherwise alter it sufficiently to introduce a strong flavor or bittertaste.

Specifically, comminute shreds to produce a flour with a particle sizeselected from: coarse meal, moderately fine flour or powder, fine flouror powder, or very fine powder. Fine or very fine flours are preferred,except where a coarse flour is indicated by use. Preferablysubstantially all of the flour passes through a screen with openings of0.6 mm (0.02 inch) mesh. More preferably substantially all of the flourpasses through a screen with openings of 0.38 mm (0.015 inch) mesh. Morepreferrably substantially all of the flour passes through a screen withopenings of 0.127 mm (0.005 inch) mesh. A flour in which substantiallyall of the flour passes through a screen with openings of 0.025 mm(0.001 inch) is also preferred.

In pulverizing and comminuting steps, desired particle size is achievedwhile retaining most or all of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceoussubstance of the tuber. Preferably the flour product contains at least50% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber,more preferably the flour product contains at least 75% of the plantfiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber, more preferablythe flour product contains at least 90% of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber, most preferably the flourproduct contains substantially all of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber.

Dry raw yams may be processed to flour material. Thus, in one flourembodiment, dried peeled or unpeeled tubers are preferably peeled,comminuted to a moderately fine to fine powder by any conventionalmeans, preferably a particle size of 0.38 mm (0.015 inch) and less.

In another flour embodiment, the yam flour has a moisture content of 5%or less, is unsifted, and includes substantially all of the peeledtuber.

In the work with yams, I began product development by following recipesfor wheat flour, and making substitutions according to standard formulasgiven in allergy cookbooks for egg and milk replacers. The result wasresound failures. Wheat-based processes could not be readily adapted foruse with the new flour; they were abandoned, and new processes notheretofore known were developed.

Amaranth, quinoa and other seeds and sugar beets and other tuberousroots of families Amaranthaceae and Chenopodiaceae: The word `amaranth`as used in this patent application is intended to include amaranth,quinoa and all other seeds of the Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceaefamilies.

It has now been found that flour from amaranth and tubers of familyAmaranthaceae and Chenopodiaceae can be used in the production of manyfood products. Moreover the flour can be used in every way wheat flouris used, although the processes are totally different.

Amaranth is a domesticated plant that is directly descended from thepigweed. Many species and varieties exist throughout the world. Amaranthseeds and meal-type flour are used in wide numbers of products, whichrely on other flours and the like to produce acceptable products.Amaranth is essentially not mentioned in the patent literature.

Quinoa seeds are about twice the size of amaranth seeds, and areprimarily used as a cereal product.

Products of amaranth flour that are presently available are coarse,heavy, and grainy, because the amaranth seeds are very hard. Theapplicant has found that prolonged or repeated grinding cycles, aresufficient to produce a uniformly fine flour that can be used to producegreatly improved products including many products those in whichamaranth is the primary or only ingredient.

In the preferred embodiment, amaranth seeds are pulverized, communitedand the like by any desired technique or combination of techniquescommon to the art to produce a meal. The particle sizes are furtherreduced to a moderate to fine flour by repeated steps of comminuting,grinding, comminuting, smashing, and the like, in any combinationtogether with optional drying by any conventional method, in as manyrepetitions as are needed to produce a flour with a moisture content ofless than 20%, preferably with a moisture content of less than 15%, morepreferably a moisture content of 2-5%, still more preferably a moisturecontent of less than 5%, still more preferably a moisture content ofless than 2%, of moderate to fine particle size with 10-100%, preferablysubstantially all components of the seed remaining in the flour.

In another preferred embodiment sugar beets and other tubers of familyAmaranthaceae and Chenopodiaceae, are subjected to any preprocessingsteps of washing, scrubbing, culling, rinsing and the like, peeled byany techniques of the art, peeling while clean (not recycled) water ispassing over the tubers is preferred although they may also be processedunpeeled, rinsing (in distilled water is preferred although may beomitted), comminuting, slicing, chopping or any other techniques desired(although not necessary), preferably shredding; dehydrating the materialby air drying (at any appropriate temperature), freeze drying, vacuumdrying or any other techniques or combination of techniques of the art,preferably air drying, and comminuting by such techniques as to producea flour with a moisture content of less than 20%, preferably with amoisture content of less than 15%, more preferably a moisture content of2-5%, still more preferably a moisture content of less incorporates 20%or more of the plant fiber, preferably incorporates 50% or more of theplant fiber, more preferably incorporates 75% or more of the plantfiber, still more preferably incorporates 90% or more of the plantfiber, preferably uses 100% or substantially all of the fibers, in otherwords, incorporates the entire tuber into the flour or other productsproduced.

In yet another embodiment the above process is repeated with the addedstep of partial or complete cooking of the sugar beets by steam heating,boiling, baking or any other desired means, steam heating is preferred,either severally, prior to, or in combination with, drying steps or anyother step or steps in the process to produce a cooked or partiallycooked flour product.

Specifically, comminute the dry products to produce a flour with aparticle size selected from: coarse meal, moderately fine flour orpowder, fine flour or powder, or very fine powder. Fine or very fineflours are preferred, except where a coarse flour is indicated by use.Preferably substantially all of the flour passes through a screen withopenings of 0.6 mm (0.02 inch) mesh. More preferably substantially allof the flour passes through a screen with openings of 0.38 mm (0.015inch) mesh. More preferrably substantially all of the flour passesthrough a screen with openings of 0.127 mm (0.005 inch) mesh. A flour inwhich substantially all of the flour passes through a screen withopenings of 0.025 mm (0.001 inch) is also preferred.

In pulverizing and comminuting steps, desired particle size is achievedwhile retaining most or all of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceoussubstance of the tuber or seed. Preferably the flour product contains atleast 50% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance; morepreferably, the flour product contains at least 75% of the plant fiberand other non-farinaceous substance; more preferably the flour productcontains at least 90% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceoussubstance, most preferably the flour product contains substantially allof the plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance.

In another flour embodiment amaranth seed, meal or flour is combinedwith water in proportions of from 1:3 to 1:200, preferably 1:10 in anydesired way and heated by any conventional means including, steamjackets and pressure, and the like under temperatures, pressure, andlength of time for heating to an appropriate for the processes used, andas necessary to form a soft, gelatinized mass or mixture varying inconsistency from thick paste to water. Either prior to, during heating,or after heating, the mass is subjected to methods of pureeing, pulping,blending, comminuting, pulverizing and the like to form a smooth,homogeneous fluid or paste. This mixture is dried by suitable means ofthe art and comminuted to flakes or a fine or coarse powder.

In another embodiment, a flour may be produced in the manner of thefirst flour embodiment, with the added step of toasting the amaranthduring or before grinding.

In yet another embodiment a flour may be produced in the manner of thefirst embodiment, with the added step of popping the amaranth seedsbefore grinding or otherwise comminuting.

In the work with amaranth, I began product development by followingrecipes for wheat flour, and making substitutions according to standardformulas given in allergy cookbooks for egg and milk replacers. Theresult was resound failures. Wheat-based processes could not be readilyadapted for use with the new flour; they were abandoned, and newprocesses not heretofore known were deveopled.

Lotus, arrowhead, and buckbean and other edible tubers from familiesNymphaceae, Alismataceae, and Gentianaceae: The word "lotus" as used inthis patent application is intended to include tuberous roots of lotus,arrowhead and buckbean and all other plants of the familiesNymphaeaceae, Alismataceae, and Gentianaceae.

It has now been found that flour from lotus can be used in theproduction of many food products. Moreover the flour can be used inevery way wheat flour is used, although the processes are totallydifferent.

In my previous attempts to prepare flour of the desired properties,lotus flour was made by soaking lotus tubers in water between thepeeling and drying steps, it has now been found that the soaking stepcan be eliminated thus eliminating spoilage problems during drying stepsand producing a flour of lower moisture content. Furthermore theapplicant has found that eliminating a high impact grinding method,produced a more uniformly fine flour which incorporates a greaterproportion of the plant fiber into the flour, thus greatly improving theability of the doughs to hold a rise and produce consistently uniformproducts.

In the preferred embodiment, lotus are subjected to any preprocessingsteps of washing, scrubbing, cutting, rinsing and the like, peeled byany techniques of the art, peeling while clean (not recycled) water ispassing over the tubers is preferred although lotus may also beprocessed unpeeled and with or without simultaneous washing and peeling,rinsing (in distilled water is preferred although may be omitted),comminuting, slicing, chopping or any other technique desired (althoughnot necessary), preferably shredding; dehydrating the material by airdrying (at any appropriate temperature), freeze drying, vacuum drying orany other technique or combination of techniques of the art, preferablyair drying, and comminuting by such techniques as to produce amoderately fine to fine flour with a moisture content of less than 20%,preferably with a moisture content of less than 15%, more preferably amoisture content of 2-5%, still more preferably a moisture content ofless than 5%, still more preferably a moisture content of less than 2%,that incorporates 20% or more of the plant fiber, preferably uses 100%of the fibers, in other words, incorporates the entire tuber into theflour or other products produced.

In another embodiment, a partial or complete cooked flour may beproduced in the method above with the added step of heating by any meansavailable to the art in process prior to, during, or after and in anycombinatin with the processes listed above.

Specifically, comminute shreds to produce a flour with a particle sizeselected from: coarse meal, moderately fine flour or powder, fine flouror powder, or very fine powder. Fine or very fine flours are preferred,except where a coarse flour is indicated by use. Preferablysubstantially all of the flour passes through a screen with openings of0.6 mm (0.02 inch) mesh. More preferably substantially all of the flourpasses through a screen with openings of 0.38 mm (0.015 inch) mesh. Morepreferrably substantially all of the flour passes through a screen withopenings of 0.127 mm (0.005 inch) mesh. A flour in which substantiallyall of the flour passes through a screen with openings of 0.025 mm(0.001 inch) is also preferred.

In pulverizing and comminuting steps, desired particle size is achievedwhile retaining most or all of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceoussubstance of the tuber. Preferably the flour product contains at least50% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber,more preferably the flour product contains at least 75% of the plantfiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber, more preferablythe flour product contains at least 90% of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber, most preferably the flourproduct contains substantially all of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber.

Dry raw lotus may be processed to flour material. Thus, in one flourembodiment, dried peeled or unpeeled tubers are preferably peeled,comminuted to a moderately fine to fine powder by any conventionalmeans, preferably a particle size of 0.38 mm (0.015 inch) and less.

In the work with lotus, I began product development by following recipesfor wheat flour, and making substitutions according to standard formulasgiven in allergy cookbooks for egg and milk replacers. Wheat-basedprocesses could not be readily adapted for use with the new flour; theywere abandoned, and new processes not heretofore known were developed.

A cereal substance or constituent of cereal may be prepared from thedried shreds of the lotus tuber, which shreds optimally may be roastedby any desired conventional technique.

A particulate material which is useful as a cereal substitute for thelikes of cream of wheat can be prepared by comminuting dried lotustubers to particle sizes ranging from 7.6 mm to 0.5 mm, preferably 1.5mm (0.3 inch to 0.02 inch, preferably 0.06 inch). The tuber may bepeeled or unpeeled before processing; peeled tubers are preferred.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF PROCESSES FOR USING THEINSTANTLY CLAIMED FLOURS

The above flours may be used in many processes to produce desirableproducts. Detailed descriptions of preferred embodiments for sweetpotatoes are presented below. Each description of sweet potatoembodiments is followed by descriptions of any differences in thecorresponding embodiments for the other flours. All of the followingratios are by weight unless otherwise noted.

Throughout this specification, the terms `leavening agent` or`conventional leavening agents` are intended to refer to conventionalbaking powders, and also to include leavening agents that would bespecifically appropriate for hypoallergenic uses in which a flour of thepresent invention replaces more standard flours of corn starch andpotato starch which generally act as inert ingredients in commercialbaking powders, such as sweet potato baking powder. Any reference tospecific baking powders such as sweet potato baking powder is alsointended to refer to any other specific baking powder and toconventional baking powders. Baking sodas, cream of tartar, otherchemical leavening agents conventional to the art, and yeast-typeleavening agents can also be used in the processes described below.

A cereal substance or constituent of cereal may be prepared from thedried shreds or particles of any shape of the sweet potato tuber, whichare roasted, baked, toasted (with or without oil) by any desiredconventional technique. Similarly, cassava, malanga, yam, and lotusshreds optimally be roasted by any desired conventional technique.

A particulate material which is useful as a cereal substitute for thelikes of cream of wheat can be prepared by comminuting dried sweetpotato tubers to particle sizes ranging from 7.6 mm to 0.5 mm,preferably 1.5 mm (0.3 inch to 0.02 inch, preferably 0.06 inch). Thetuber may be peeled or unpeeled before processing; peeled tubers arepreferred. A similar product can be made as described above usingcassava, malanga, yam, and lotus.

A bread product can be prepared from sweet potato flour, water, and asmall amount of salt (optional), oil (optional), and any conventionalleavening agent in proportions ranging from 1:1/2 to 1:4, by weight, offlour and water, preferably 1:1.4 in processes of mixing at any desiredspeed, preferably a moderately high speed, shaping, and baking in anydesired order or combinations of techniques common to the art. The sweetpotato bread is baked at temperatures ranging from 135°-288° C.(275°-550° F.), preferably 218° C. (425° F.),for 15-90 minutes,preferably 50 minutes. Processes are as described above for otherflours, with exceptions as noted. For cassava flour, ranges are 1:1/4 to1:4, preferably 1:0.9. For malanga flour the preferred proportion is1:11/4; preferred baking time is 40 minutes. For yam flour, thepreferred ratio is 1:1.4. For amaranth flour the range is 1:0.1:0 to1:4:1 preferably 1:0.4:0.2 for flour, water and oil. For lotus flour thepreferred ratio is 1:1.5, preferred baking time is 60 minutes at 204° C.(400° F.).

In still another embodiment the bread products described above, andproducts such as cornbread, cookies, pancakes, muffins, and the likedescribed in examples which follow may be used to prepare bread crumband crouton-type and other similar products. Breads and the otherproducts, in processes including but not limited to various orders andcombinations of drying, toasting, coating, cutting, slicing,comminuting, and the like in steps conventional to the art may be usedto produce bread crumb products with all possible uses of any otherbread crumb products. These uses include but are not limited to: coatingmixes for use alone or with batters, salad toppings, pie crusts,stuffings, and the like.

By techniques in any desired order or combination of slicing, drying,roasting, toasting, baking, and the like, cubed products called croutonsmay be produced. These may be used on salads, soups, stews, stuffings,and any other ways croutons are used.

In another embodiment, a cornbread-like product can be prepared fromsweet potato flour, water, oil, and small amounts of salt (optional),sweeteners (optional), and any conventional leavening agent inproportions of flour, water and oil ranging from 1:6:1/3 to 1:1/2:0, byweight, preferably 1:1.5:1/24 with processes of mixing at any desiredspeed, preferably a moderately high speed, shaping, and baking in anydesired order or combinations of techniques common to the art. The sweetpotato cornbread is baked at temperatures ranging from 135°-288° C.(275°-550° F.), preferably 218° C. (425° F.), for 15-90 minutes,preferably 50 minutes. When a liquid sweetener such as a honey is used,the proportions range from 1:6:2:1/3 to 1:1/2:0:0, preferably1:1.2:0.2:0.04 of sweet potato flour, water, honey, and oil.

Processes for preparing a cornbread-like product are as described abovefor yam flour, exceptions for other flours are as noted. For cassavaflour the preferred ratio is 1:1.2:0.1. When a liquid sweetener is usedthe preferred ratio of cassava flour, water, honey, and oil is1:1.2:0.2:1/10. For malanga flour the range is 1:1/2 to 1:4, preferably1:1 1/4 for flour and water. If liquid sweetener is used the proportionsrange from 1:6:2 to 1:0.5:0, preferably 1:1.25:0.4 for malanga flour,water and honey. The preferred baking time is 40 minutes. For amaranthflour the range is 1:10:0 to 1:4:1, preferably 1:0.4:0.2; when a liquidsweetener is added the proportions range from 1:6:2:1/2 to 1:0.1:0:0,preferably 1:0.4:0.3:0.2 of amaranth flour, water, honey and oil. Forlotus, the preferred baking time is 30-40 minutes, and the preferredratio for liquid sweetener is 1:1.2:1/20:1/25 for flour, water, honeyand oil.

In another embodiment, a cake dough product can be prepared, in themethod described above for cornbread by increasing ranges and preferredamounts: the amount of oil by 100%, increasing the amount of honey by20%, and increasing the amount of baking powder by 25-50%.Alternatively, honey may be omitted. These doughs produce a bakedcake-like product without added ingredients, although ingredientscommonly used in the art may also be incorporated into the dough oradded to the finished products. Similar modifications can be used toprepare cake dough products for cassava, malanga, yam, amaranth, andlotus flours.

In still another embodiment by the processes described for cornbreadproducts, muffins may be produced. The range of ratios of flour, water,and oil are the same as for the cornbread product, with preferredproportions of 1:1.3:1/24. Processes are as described above for cassavaand yam flours, with exceptions as noted for other flours. For malangaflour the range is 1:1/2 to 1:4, preferably 1:1 1/4 for flour and water.For amaranth flour the preferred ratio is 1:0.4:0.2. For lotus flour thepreferred ratio is 1:1.5:1/24.

In another embodiment, products the likes of pancakes, doughnuts, hushpuppies, batter, crepes, dumplings and waffles can be prepared fromcombinations of sweet potato flour, water, oil, and small amounts ofsalt (optional), sweeteners (optional), and of any conventionalleavening agents in proportions virtually identical to those forcornbread. The ranges of general proportions are identical withpreferred proportions being 1:1.5:1/12. These products are mixed,molded, shaped, fried, and so forth as appropriate for the product.

Processes are as described above for other flours, with exceptions asnoted. For cassava flour, the preferred ratio is 1:1.2:0.13. For malangaflour, the preferred ratio is 1:1.3:1/7. For uncooked yam flour, thepreferred ratio is 1:1.5:1/24. For cooked yam flour, proportions offrozen flour, boiling water and oil range from 1:6:1 to 1:1/2:0,preferably 1:2.7:1/5. For amaranth flour the range is 1:1/4:0 to1:2:1/2, preferably 1:11/4:1/6. For lotus flour the preferred ratio is1:1.5:1/12.

In still another embodiment the above described pancake batters preparedas described earlier may be used as a pizza dough. In processesinvolving pouring the batter onto an appropriately shaped orsufficiently large surface, heating or baking in temperatures rangingfrom 191°-274° C. (375°-525° F.), preferably 218° C. (425° F.), untildough is almost done but still tacky on the top, about 10-30 minutes,preferably. Add any desired ingredients including but not limited tovarious meats, cheeses, vegetables, spices, and other materials commonto the art. Although any ingredients may be used, hypoallergenicingredients might include ground precooked venison and nopales. Bakeuntil dough is completely done and ingredients thoroughly cooked, about6-20 minutes. Alternatively, the toppings described above may be placedon the batter before cooking begins. Alternatively, the above dough maybe thoroughly baked, toppings added, and pizza reheated. The sameprocess can be used for cassava, malanga, yam, amaranth and lotusbatters.

Alternatively the dough described for pie crust may be used as a pizzadough. The dough is prepared as described in the example, the dough isrolled out to the desired length, width, and thickness, toppings of anykind are added and the mixture is baked at 177° C. (350° F.) for 10-30minutes. Pie crusts of cassava, malanga, yam, amaranth, and lotus flourscan be used similarly.

In yet another embodiment, a product such as dumplings can be preparedfrom combinations of sweet potato flour, water, oil and a small amountof salt (optional), and any conventional leavening agent in proportionsidentical to those described previously for pancake batter. Theingredients are combined and the batter is then cooked as follows.Teaspoon sized portions of batter are dropped into rapidly boilingthickened water for 2-6 minutes, preferably 5 minutes. Similarly,dumplings can be prepared from batters of cassava, malanga, yam, andlotus flours with ratios and preferred proportions of ingredients asdescribed earlier for pancake batter.

In yet another embodiment, a product such as waffles can be preparedfrom sweet potato flour, water, oil, and small amounts of salt(optional), sweeteners (optional), and any conventional leavening agent.Ranges and preferred proportions are the same as those describedpreviously for pancake batter. Processes of combining ingredients andbatter preparation are as described for pancake batter. Batter is thenplaced in waffle irons or other type of molds and heated by conventionalmeans. Similarly, waffles can be prepared from batters of cassava,malanga, yam and lotus flours with ratios and preferred proportions ofingredients as described earlier for pancake batter. For amaranth flourthe range is 4:1:1/2 to 1/2:1:0 preferrably 1.6:1:0.15.

In another embodiment, a product such as french toast batter can beprepared from sweet potato flour, water, oil, uncooked, proteinaceousmaterial, and a small amount of salt (optional) in proportions rangingfrom 5:12:8:8 to 1/10:12:0:0 by weight, preferably 1:12:2:2, inprocesses of gelatinizing the flour and water mixture, combining withremaining ingredients and blending with high speed blending equipmentuntil smooth and homogenous. Material to be coated and prepared forfrench toast is preferably sweet potato bread, although any other breador bread-like product may be used, and cooking is by any acceptedtechnique. Alternatively batter may be prepared by the method aboveomitting the step of gelatinizing the flour-water mixture.

Alternatively, the proteinaceous material may be omitted, with the aboveproportions of flour and water remaining unchanged. The batter may beused alone, or in combination with bread crumbs and any other coatingmaterials. Processes are as described above for other flours, withexceptions as noted. For cassava flour the range is 1:100:15:8 to1:2:0:0, preferably 1:16:5.6:2. For malanga flour the range is 5:14:8:8to 0.1:12:0:0, preferably 1:14:2.4:2. For yam flour the range is 5:12:8to 0.1:12:0, preferably 1:12:2, for flour, water, and oil. For amaranthflour the range is 1:14:8:8 to 1:0.5:0:0, preferably 1:4:1:2. For lotusflour the preferred ratio is 1:10:4:2.

In another embodiment, a product such as cookies can be prepared fromsweet potato flour, water, oil, small amounts of salt (optional),sweeteners (optional), and small amounts of any conventional leaveningagents in proportions ranging from 4:1:0 to 0.5:1:2, by weight,preferably 1.8:1:0.9 in processes of mixing, kneading, shaping, bakingto produce cookies. Baking conditions range from 135°-260° C. (275°-500°F.), preferably 177° C. (350° F.), and 2-40 minutes preferably 8-10minutes. Processes are as described above for uncooked yam flour, forother flours exceptions are as noted. For cassava flour the range is4:1:2 to 0.5:1:0, preferably 1.6:1:0.3. For malanga flour the preferredratio is 2.4:1:0.7. For cooked yam flour the range is 4:1:0 to 0.3:1:1,preferably 0.75:1:0.3, where flour is frozen and water is boiling, andwhere preferred baking temperature is 204° C. (400° F.). For amaranthflour the preferred ratio is 2.5:1:0.4. For lotus flour the range is6:1:0 to 0.5:1:6, preferably 3:1:2.4.

Alternatively, when a liquid sweetener is used, the proportions arewithin the ranges described above, preferably 1:1.5:0.3 and 0.24 partshoney or other liquid sweetener per 1 part flour. Sweetener amounts mayrange from 0-1 part per 1 part flour. Alternatively, add toppings asdesired to the unbaked or baked dough. Any desired fruit, nuts, flavors,seasonings, sweeteners of the conventional art may be incorporated.Processes are as described above for yam flour, with exceptions asnoted. For malanga flour the preferred ratio is 3:1:0.6 and 0.3 partshoney or liquid sweetener per one part flour. Similarly, honey or liquidsweeteners may be used with the other flours in processes of preparingcookie doughs.

In yet another embodiment, crackers may be produced in any suitablemachine for mixing heavy doughs through processes involving combiningflour, water, and oil in proportions ranging from 3:1:4 to 1/3:1:0,preferably 1:1:1/6 parts flour, water, and oil and small amounts of saltand leavening agents. In processes including but not limited to molding,rolling, cutting, and extruding, shape dough into desired crackershapes. Dough may or may not be coated with a thin film of oil and salt.Any conventional heating method may be used, for example bake at 177° C.(350° F.) for 20 minutes. Processes are as described above for otherflours, with exceptions as noted. For cassava flour the range is 4:1:4to 1/3:1:0, preferably 1.7:1:1/8. For malanga flour the preferred ratiois 1.3:1:1/5. For yam flour the preferred ratio is 1:0.7-1:1/6 partsflour, boiling water, and oil. For amaranth flour the range is 6:1:4 to1/3:1:0, preferably 2.5:1:1/3. For lotus flour the range is 4:1:4 to1/3:1:0, preferably 1.7:1:1.8.

In another embodiment of the invention a product such as tortillas orchips can be prepared by blending sweet potato flour with water, andthen baking or frying the appropriately shaped dough. In preparing themixture a range from 1/2:1 to 2:1 amounts of flour and water areblended, preferably 0.9:1 flour and water. The dough may be cooked byany desired means including but not limited to frying with or withoutoil, and baking with or without a thin film of oil, following theconventions of the art. Processes are as described above for otherflours, with exceptions as noted. For cassava flour the range is 0.5:1to 4:1, preferably 1.7:1. For malanga flour the preferred ratio is 1:1.For yam flour the range is 0.5:1 to 4:1, preferably 2:1. For amaranthflour the range is 0.5:1 to 4:1, preferably 1.6:1. For lotus flour thepreferred ratio is 1.2:1.

In still another embodiment of the invention, a food product such as piecrust is prepared by blending flour, water, and oil in ratios of1:0.4-1.5:0.1-1, preferably 1:0.7:0.3. Once the blend is prepared, it iskneaded, shaped or molded and baked if desired at temperatures rangingfrom 135°-260° C. (275°-500° F.), preferably 177° C. (350° F.) for from2 to 45 minutes, preferably 10 minutes. Processes are as described abovefor other flours, with exceptions as noted. For cassava flour the rangeis 1:0.4-5:0.1-1, preferably 1:2.5:0.35. For malanga the preferred ratiois 1:0.9:0.3. For yam the range is 1:0.2-1.5:0.1-1, preferably1:0.5:0.3. For amaranth the preferred ratio is 1:0.7:0.4. For lotus thepreferred ratio is 1:0.5:0.3.

In yet another embodiment, doughs from processes described earlier forpie crust and pasta may be used to produce a puffed product by shapingthe dough into flat, thin wafers and frying the wafers in hot oil toproduce a puffed or popped product. The dough may be shaped into a waferor any other shape desired by combinations of extruding or other shapingmeans, rolling, cutting and other techniques in any order in any desiredcombination and fried. By this method shapes of a `chip` or `fry` may beobtained. Also long pieces may be shaped into a pretzel-like shapes andfried. Processes are as described above for other flours, with theexception of yam flour which becomes strongly flavored or bitter whenused by this process.

A puffed product may also be obtained when sweet potato flour iscombined with pureed, cooked sweet potato. Although almost any desiredcombination may be used ranging from 5-100% flour, 0-95% cooked, andpureed sweet potato, 0-50% water, the ratios for pie crust combined withan added 20% cooked pureed sweet potato is preferred. Either of theabove processes may be used to produce very small-sized 0.3-2.5 cm(0.125-1 inch) wafers, flakes and granules which can be used as a cerealproduct. Processes are as described above for other flours, with theexception of yam flour which becomes strongly flavored or bitter whenused by this process.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, pretzels may be preparedfrom the doughs described for tortillas, chips, and pie crusts inprocesses of shaping, optional salting, and various combinations ofbaking with or without a thin coat of oil, frying, broiling, steaming,drying common in the food art to produce a pretzels of desired sizes andshapes. Additional embodiments include the pretzels above to which havebeen added to dough before baking or to the outside surface before orafter baking, a variety of fillers, extenders, binders, flavorings,seasonings, preservatives and the like common to the art. Processes areas described above for the other flours.

In yet another embodiment, the thick dough produced by the processesdescribed in the preparation of pie crust may be used to produce doughencased or wrapped food products. The kneaded, thoroughly mixed doughmay be shaped by extruding, rolling, cutting, and any other convenienttechnique to produce a variety of shapes onto which pureed fruit,chopped meats, hot dogs, meat and vegetable combinations, cheese and thelike may be placed. For example the thick dough may be shaped into 7.6cm×7.6 cm×0.6 cm (3×3×0.25 inch) squares onto which a pureed fruit suchas sapote or carambola, and any other unusual or common fruit, areplaced. These may be baked, broiled, or fried as is or 2 squares may beplaced together such that the fruit forms a middle or inside layer in asandwich-type effect. This may be baked, broiled, or fried to produce aproduct or may be frozen for sale to the consumer as a frozen product.Processes are as described above for the other flours.

In another example, conventional art may be used to completely encasefruit or meat and vegetable mixtures. The dough covered product whichmay have any shape, commonly an ovoid shape ranging from 2.5-15 cm (1-6inches) in length may be baked, boiled, broiled, fried and so forth inany conventional means to produce good tasting, convenient foods.Processes are as described above for the other flours.

The dough may also be used in pot pie-type products. Processes are asdescribed above for the other flours.

In another example, pureed or flaked meat may be combined with a smallamount of imitation mayonnaise in approximate proportions of 2:1 andplaced on a 15 cm×15 cm×0.6 cm (6×6×0.25 inch) dough square. The doughis rolled around the meat mixture to form a tamale-like shape. Thisproduct may be baked, broiled, fried, or frozen. If uncooked meats areused, the product should be cooked by means other than frying. Processesare as described above for the other flours.

In another embodiment, sweet potato flour may be combined with avegetable oil such as sunflower oil, olive oil, or the like in amountsranging from 1/2:1 to 4:1, preferably 1.8:1 to which is added agelatinized flour-water mixture which contains flour and water inproportion ranging from 1:1 to 1:30, preferably 1:6 to produce a sweetpotato imitation nut butter-type product.

The flour and oil mixture and flour and water mixture are combined inamounts by volume ranging from 20:4 to 20:0, preferably 20:1. Processesare as described above for lotus, for other flours exceptions are asnoted. For cassava flour the preferred ratio is 2.3:1. For malanga flourthe preferred ratio is 1:5.4 for the gelatinized material. For amaranthflour the preferred ratio is about 2:1. For yam flour the range is 1:1to 4:1, preferably 2.3:1.

The flour may be combined with various ingredients to prepare acolloidal product having the consistency of mayonnaise. Themayonnaise-like product itself is rather bland in taste, and it takes onthe flavoring characteristics of the material blended with it in its enduse--eg tuna fish, potato salads, sandwich meats. Flour, water, and oilare combined in ratios of 0.5-3:1-15:1-15, preferably in ratios of1:9.5:5. The flour and one fourth to all of the water, preferably all ofthe water are combined and heated by any convention of the art to suchtemperature and for sufficient time to completely gelatinize the starchgranules. This mixture in steps of cooling (optional) and high speedblending with any remaining water, oil, and starchy tuber to produce acolloidal product to which may be added any acid, such as lemon juice,citric acid, ascorbic acid, acetic acid and the like in amounts rangingfrom 0-2 parts acid to 1 part original flour used, about 0.6:1 ispreferred. The mayonnaise has the colloidal properties of mayonnaise,with no other added ingredients. The mayonnaise produced by the aboveprocess has the advantage of being able to be frozen and thawed withoutdestroying or significantly altering the colloidal properties of theproduct. Processes are as described above for other flours, withexceptions as noted. For cassava flour the range is 0.1-3:5-15:1-10,preferably 1:10.5:4.6. For malanga flour the preferred ratio is1:8.6:3.8. For yam flour the range is 1:4-12:0.5-10, preferably1:8.5:3.8. For amaranth flour the range is 0.5-3:0.2-6:0.2-10,preferably 1:1.2:1.4. For lotus flour the range is 0.5-3:2-15:0.5-10,preferably 1:8:2.7.

In another embodiment of the invention custard-type products may beproduced. When flour and water are combined in proportions ranging from1:1 to 1:30, preferably 1:6, and heated with stirring until gelatinizedto a thick paste-like glue and subjected to blending in a high speedblending device with the addition of oils in proportions ranging from0:1 to 3:1, preferably 1/3 part oil per 1 part original flour by weight,this process produces white, creamy fluids of various thicknesses withproperties similar to evaporated milk, which when allowed to stand withor without cooling, will solidify to produce products with propertiesvery similar to custards. These custard-type products may be usedwithout modification as custards. In another embodiment the fluids maybe combined with vegetables such as peas, corn, and squash to formcustards commonly called corn puddings and the like. The fluid may becombined with pureed vegetables such as corn, pumpkin, and squash toproduce custard-like pies, and with fruits such as peaches, apricots,coconut, and bananas to form creamed pies and the like. Processes are asdescribed above for other flours.

One of the advantages of these products is that they do not requirefurther cooking to produce the "setting up" and when combined withprecooked vegetables, etc. do not need additional baking or other heattreatments.

In another embodiment of the invention, a product such as a pudding canbe prepared by blending flour, water, oil, and pureed cooked fresh sweetpotato in proportions ranging from 1/7:10:6 to 1/7:1/2:1/10, preferablyabout 1/7:2:1. The product is produced in processes where as a firstprocess step the flour and from 10 to 100%, preferably 50% of the waterare combined and heated by any convention of the art to produce a thickgelatinized paste. This paste is then combined with the remaining rawmaterials and blended to a smooth, homogenous, mixture by conventionalmixing techniques. Without additional ingredients the product has asweet, pleasant taste. Processes are as described above for othercassava and malanga flours, with exceptions for other flours as noted.For yam the range is 0.01:1:1/6 to 1:1:5, preferably about 1/27:1:0.8for flour, water, and pureed cooked yam; as a first process step the yamflour and from 3-100%, preferably 10-50% of the water are combined andheated before blending with remaininingredients. For amaranth flour therange is 1:10:6 to 1:0.5:0.1, preferably about 1:3:0.36. For lotus flourthe range is 0.02:1 to 2:1, preferably about 1/10:1 for flour and water.

Alternatively, a pudding-type product may be prepared using flour andwater only, in proportions ranging from 1:1 to 1:30, preferably 1:6. Theingredients are combined, heated by any conventional techniques untilthe mixture is completely gelatinized. Cool to between 30°-0° C.,preferably 10°-20° C. until the consistency of pudding. Processes are asdescribed above for other flours, with exceptions as noted. For malangaflour the preferred ratio is 1:5.4. For yam flour the preferred ratio is1:10.6.

In still another embodiment, in processes as are described for pancakes;flour, water, oil, baking powder, and salt are combined in proportionspreferably of 6:11:1, but ranging from 8:12:1 to 4:5:1 for flour, waterand oil to produce a crepe-type product. The batter may be used bytechniques known to the art when cooking and using batter for crepes.Processes are as described above for cassava and lotus flours, withexceptions for other flours as noted. For malanga flour the range is1:4:0 to 1:1:0.5, preferably 1:2:1/7. For yam flour the range is 8:12:1to 4:5:1, preferably 6:11:1.

In yet another embodiment, a sweet potato pie may be made entirely fromsweet potatoes, water, flour, oil, and optional spices and sweeteners inproportions of about 6:6:1:1/4, in processes where part of the flour andwater are cooked separately to produce an egg replacement agent andadditional combinations of water, flour and oil are cooked and blendedseparately to form the light cream substitute, these two substitutes arethen combined with the remaining ingredients to produce a sweet potatocustard-type pie filling which is poured into a white sweet potato piecrust. Temperature ranges from 121°-218° C. (250°-425° F.), with timesof cooking ranging from 30 to 75 minutes. Preferably the pie is baked at204° C. (400° F.) for 20 minutes or until crust is browned and fillingis bubbling. Filling may also be placed in precooked pie crust andserved with no baking after filling has cooled and set up. Baking of thefilling is actually unnecessary.

In still another embodiment of the invention, when a given amount ofsweet potato flour is mixed with water of a temperature range from0°-150° C., 100° C. is preferred, in proportions ranging from 0.5 to 4parts flour per part water, preferably 11/3 parts flour per part water,a dough can be prepared, which, after maintaining a heating and kneadingperiod of from 0 to 10 minutes, preferably 1 minute, followed byextruding, cutting and drying, prepares such products as noodles, pastasand the like. It is also possible to mix the batter prepared with bakedcamote or other farinaceous and mealy textured tubers and possibly othervegetable matter in the amounts to produce stiff doughs for gnocci, harddumplings, and other pasta products. In another embodiment of theinvention, a thick gelatinized paste of cooked sweet potato flour andwater comprised of preferably 1:6 parts flour and water, with acceptableranges of 1:2-30, may be added to the above described dough mixturebefore extrusion to any desired pasta shapes, to produce substitutes foregg based pasta. Processes are as described above for cassava and lotusflours, with exceptions for other flours as noted. For malanga flour thepreferred kneading time is 2 minutes. For yam flour the preferred ratiois 1 part flour to 1 part water. For amaranth flour the preferred watertemperature is about 25° C.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the pasta doughs describedabove, with or without the egg-substitute may be heated at temperaturesabove 50° C. for 2-30 minutes, preferably 2-5 minutes at 95° C. togelatinize a part of all of the dough prior to extrusion. Processes areas described above for other flours.

The pastas thus described are dried by any conventional means,preferably air dried on trays to produce a final product.

In its final uses, this pasta does not swell significantly beyond itsdried size, when cooked in boiling water and the like. This is due tothe fiber content which has been retained in the flour. These fibersprevent the typical swelling and conversion to a jelly-like mass commonto noodles from most pure starches. Thus these pasta products retain aform and consistency similar to wheat based noodle products. They may beused in all ways any other noodles are used.

In another food embodiment, the sweet potato flour can be combined withwater in a ratio of 12:1 to 3:1 parts by volume water per unit volume offlour, preferably 6:1 water to flour, and a small amount of a vegetableoil to produce a sweet potato milk. Preferably half of the flour andwater are combined (actual amounts may range from 10-80% flour and25-100% water), heated by conventional methods until the mixture iscompletely gelatinized. The gelatinized mixture and remainingingredients are combined, thoroughly mixed in a high speed blendingdevice to produce a sweet potato milk or other similar fluid mixtures.Processes are as described above for cassava and lotus flour, for otherflours exceptions are as noted. For malanga flour the preferred ratio is5:1 water to flour, preferably 1/4 of the flour and water are combinedand heated. For yam flour the preferred ratio is 5.3:1. For amaranthflour the preferred ratio is 6.5:1. For cooked malanga flour the rangeis 1:2 to 1:8, preferably 1:4 combined with a small amount of salt.

In the above embodiment, flour of almost any particle size may be usedranging from very coarse to very fine. The particle size is notimportant for that portion of the flour used for gelatinization,although fine flours are preferrable. A more finely divided flourproduct is desired for the flour that remains uncooked in the milk. Thesmaller the particle sizes, the better, preferably at least less than0.025 mm (0.001 inch). The milk produced from very fine flours does notrequire straining to yield a smooth homogenous product. Larger particlesizes produce a gritty product that must be strained before use. Thelarger the particle sizes, the greater proportion of sweet potato flourthat is removed by straining, and the more separation into layers thatoccurs on setting. Processes are as described above for other flours.

In another food embodiment, sweet potato flour can be combined withwater in proportions ranging from 1:1 to 30:1 parts by volume of waterper unit of flour, preferably 3:1 water to flour for heavier creams and6:1 for lighter creams, and a small amount of a vegetable oil. 50 to 100per cent of the flour is combined, and heated until the mixture iscompletely gelatinized. The gelatinized mixture and remainingingredients are combined, thoroughly mixed in a high speed blendingdevice to produce substitutes for light to heavy creams and condensedmilk. Processes are as described above for other flours cassava,malanga, amaranth, and lotus, with exceptions as noted. For yam flourthe preferred ratio for heavier creams is 5:1 and for lighter creams is10:1.

In another embodiment of the invention, sweet potato flour may becombined with water in amounts from 1:0.5 to 1:6, preferably 1:1.5, asmall amount of oil, and crushed ice to prepare milk shake and icecream-like products. From 0.25 to 0.75 of the flour, preferably 0.5 ofthe flour used is combined with water heated by any convenient meansuntil thoroughly gelatinized, then combined with remaining flour,crushed ice, and a small amount of oil in a suitable blending device toproduce a thick milk shake-like slurry product. The sweet potato milkshake has a pleasant taste without further additions, but may also beflavored with any fruits, nuts, sweeteners, or other flavors to producemany flavors and blends. Processes are as described above for cassava,yam, and lotus flours.

In another embodiment the above milk shake-like product may be used inprocesses of freezing, comminuting, in one or two freezing andcomminuting cycles, to produce a product blended to a creamy consistencyof ice cream. The sweet potato ice cream has a pleasant taste withoutfurther additions, but may also be flavored with any fruits, nuts,sweeteners, or other flavors to produce many flavors and blends. Thisproduct may also be used as an ingredient in more conventional ice creampreparations. In another embodiment, a more creamy ice cream and milkshake product may be produced by increasing the amount of fat or oil inthe product. Processes are as described above for flours of sweetpotato, cassava, malanga, yam, amaranth, and lotus.

In other embodiments of the invention, the finely divided flours ofsweet potato, cassava, malanga, yam, amaranth and lotus may be employedas a thickener, filler, or extender in the preparation of hypoallergeniccosmetics, and industrial products. For example, sweet potato flour offine particle sizes may be used in dusting powders and face powders.Various shades may be obtained by heating and toasting methods. Thisproduces a face powder product which could be well tolerated becausepeople would be only placing nonallergic items on their faces. Similarpowders may also be used as bases for liquid and paste makeups toproduce hypoallergenic products. The cosmetic preparations may also beprepared with any desired combinations of sweet potato flour withconventional ingredients including but not limited to other flours,extenders, binders, fillers, preserving agents, and so forth.

In another embodiment, the dried shreds from peeled or unpeeled,preferably peeled, cooked sweet potato, cassava, malanga, yam, and lotusmay be used to produce a shredded cereal product. Alternatively, theabove cereal products are made by freezing the cooked tubers beforeshredding and drying. This produces a softer shred with improvedproperties which is better for eating and comminuting for flour.

The flour from dried, cooked camote of various particle sizes may becoarsely ground to produce a creamed cereal product and finely ground toproduce instant mashed sweet potato products. In final use, each productis combined with water in ratios of 1:2-10, preferably 1:5, and heatedfor 2 to 10 minutes at temperatures from 75° to 100° C., preferably 100°C. in processes of rehydration and cooking. Processes are as describedabove for cassava, malanga, and lotus flours, with exceptions for otherflours as noted. For yam flour the range is 1:5-15, preferably 1:10 forcreamed cereal and 1:7 for instant mashed yam.

The cooked sweet potato flour may also be used in combination with theraw sweet potato flour in many of the products and processes describedpreviously, and may also be used with many other types of flours.Processes are as described above for the other flours.

Yet another embodiment involves processes to produce a hypoallergenicinfant formula. Many infants are unable to tolerate the currentlyavailable infant formulas. Infants unable to tolerate the grains,legumes, milk products, eggs, and grain-derived sugars listed earlieralong with coconut oil are almost certainly going to be intolerant ofall commercially available infant formulas. These infants are usuallyunable to tolerate breast milk because of allergies to digested foodresidues in the milk. The parents of these infants desperately seekalternatives and usually end up using cooked purees of tubers and otherfoods. There is a real need for infant formulas without grains, legumes,grain-based sugars, milk and milk products, and coconut or corn oil. Notruely hypoallergenic formula exists at present. Processes are asdescribed above for the other flours.

The earlier described process for producing sweet potato milk, in whichfinely powdered, precooked, dried sweet potato flour is substituted forthe raw flour may be used to produce infant formulas. In one infantformula embodiment the just described formula is used without furthermodification in either full fluid form, condensed form, or dry powderedform as a hyperallergenic formula to which the user would add pureed,cooked protein in the amount of about 2.5 g protein per quart of fluid,and 40 g of fat per quart of fluid fully reconstituted. This would beideal for many infants since the protein and fat sources could be variedby the parents according to the physician's instructions and specificallergies of the infant. This would assure the broadest tolerance of theformula. Processes are as described above for the other flours.

The tubers such as sweet potatoes are highly nutritious in vitamins andminerals, and the white variety does not have the problems ofexcessively high vitamin A levels as does the orange sweet potatovariety and is therefore an excellent choice for hypoallergenicformulas. Malanga are highly nutritious in vitamins and minerals, andbecause they are almost universally well tolerated, malanga is anexcellent choice as a base for hypoallergenic formulas. Yams are highlynutritious in vitamins and minerals and are therefore an excellentchoice for hypoallergenic formulas.

In another embodiment of the invention, a more complete infant formulamay be obtained by adding the appropriate amounts of protein andcarbohydrates to the above described formulas. Any protein and fatsource is included in the embodiment as part of the product and process,preferably for hypoallergenic purposes beef, milk, pork, eggs, lamb,goat, and legume sources would not be used; obscure protein sources suchas venison, rabbit, even fish are much more suitable, as fat sourcesunflower oil is preferred although any oil or other desired fat sourcecan be used. The art is aware of previous infant formulas available asready-to-feed, liquid concentrate, and dry powder; the above describedhypoallergenic formulas may be prepared in such forms. Processes are asdescribed above for the other flours.

Many variations in the above formula are possible by varying amounts ofoil, water, sweet potato, cooked versus uncooked flours, addedingredients and so forth, all are hereby included in the embodiment. Theinfant formula may also be prepared with sweet potato flour andcombinations of conventional ingredients including but not limited toother flours, extenders, binders, fillers, preserving agents,sweeteners, flavorings, seasonings, eggs, milk, nuts, and so forth.These are hereby included in the embodiments. Processes are as describedabove for the other flours.

In another embodiment, sweet potato flour may be used in a wide varietyof pharmaceutical products as a hypoallergenic filler, extender, andinert ingredient. The use of a hypoallergenic material for thesepurposes would eliminate allergic reactions that food allergic patientsmay have to the nonactive ingredients, would thereby enhance the numberof persons who tolerate the pharmaceutical products and could help themedications to be more effective for the allergic patient. Processes areas described above for the other flours.

Finally, to promote complete utilization of the entire sweet potatotuber, the sweet potato may be used in processes to produce animal feedproducts. An animal feed is prepared by drying the peels of sweetpotatoes (entire tuber if desired) by any of various methods, and thenthe peels are comminuted to a particle size ranging from 1.27-0.6 cm(0.5-0.25 inch) to a powder by any conventional means desired. Thecomminuted material is then combined with from 2-40% of any suitablefatty material, 0-8% of any suitable protein source, and with vitaminsand minerals added as desired. The substance obtained may be useddirectly as an animal feed, in ratios ranging from 5:1 to 1:100 withother animal feed products, preferably 1:5. Alternatively, the abovesweet potato product may be combined with the remainder of the sweetpotato plant, ie, dried comminuted leaves and vines to produce a feed.Processes for lotus are also as described above. For cassava, malangaand yam processes are as described above with the further incorporationof processes conventional to the art for reducing levels of toxicalkaloids and the like in the tubers.

Although I have developed a series of products to provide the mosthypoallergenic products, it is within the scope of this invention toinclude conventional additives and additional ingredients used in othersuch products, including but not limited to grain flours and otherflours, other flour products, starches, and flours of the instantlyclaimed invention, eggs, milk and milk products, nuts, other fatsources, legumes, fruits, vegetables, extenders, binders, chemicalmodifiers, dough conditioners, emulsifiers, fillers, added fiber,preserving agents, sweeteners including sugar and other conventionalsweeteners, flavorings, seasonings, yeast as a leavening agent, and soforth. It is also withuin the scope of this invention to include conentional additives and additional ingredients including but not limitedto grain flour, legume flour, added fiber, dough modifiers,conditioners, emulsifiers, wheat, corn, oats, millet, rice, rye, barley,milo, popcorn, sorghun, triticale, wild rice, teff, spelt, buckwheat,lentil, soy, peanut, garbanzo, mung, pea, bean, guar, kudzu, acacia,fenugreek, jicama, tonka, tamarind, tragacanth, lima, linseed,cottonseed, Jesuit's nut, cycad seeds, glycerine monostearate,hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, calcium stearoylactylate, pentosans,sodium stearoylactylate, malt, glycerol ester of fatty acids, diacetyltartaric acid, glycerol monoester emulsifiers, hydrophilic gum,cellulose ethers, hulls of vegetable origin, vegetable fiber, alphacellulose flour, bran, rice hulls, oat hulls, amaranth hulls, milohulls, corn cobs, bean hulls, soybean hulls, dried vegetable juices,sodium carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, karaya gum,algin, agar, carrageenan, mucilages, and gums.

The preferred embodiments presented above are for a flour of about 5% orless, more preferably about 3% moisture, of generally fine particle size(except in applications where obviously a coarse particle size isdesired), and for hypoallergenic products where limited ingredients aredesired. The preferred embodiments above change according to the watercontent of the flour; as the amount of water in the flour increases, theamount of water to be added to the flours decreases. Also optimalproportions change with the degree of fineness of the flour, withamounts of various additives, especially chemical modifiers and thelike, and with various flour mixtures. All such embodiments are herebyincorporated with this embodiment.

Similarly, the preferred embodiments described above have been developedin such a way that any desired oil, fat, natural or synthetic fatsubstitute or mixture thereof may by used in the processes described.Very little in the way of adjustment is select from among the many oilsavailable. The selection of a given oil will have very little effect onthe texture or structure of a baked product. Oils which are stronglyflavored may provide the predominant flavor of a finished product,however. Other fat sources such as shortenings and animal fats are alsohereby incorporated with this invention.

While the flours of the present invention are described individually, itis clear that they may generally be mixed with each other as well as anyother more conventional flours such as wheat, corn, millet, milo, soy,lentil, and the like, and any other non-conventional flours such asarrowroot, water chestnut, artichoke flours, and the like, in processessuitably modified according to the individual characteristics of eachflour.

Although I have described the foregoing embodiments in the nature ofproviding wholly or partially hypoallergenic flours and food products,it is to be understood that the present invention includes the discoveryof heretofore unrecognized food sources. The foregoing flours may thusbe added as a partial substitute for previous known flours.

The above described sweet potato flours have further been found toexhibit flavor enhancing properties. While not providing much in the wayof noticeable flavors of their own, they enhance the flavors of otheringredients. This is particularly noticeable when such flours areincluded in products containing meats, nuts, fruits, vegetables, andsauces. Therefore sweet potato flours are particularly desirable asadditives to meats, cookies, muffins, pies and the like. All such flavorenhancing properties are hereby incorporated with this embodiment.

The taste, flavor, texture, consistency, structure and the like of eachflour changes significantly and sometimes suprisingly when used in thevarious processes described in the instantly claimed invention. In somecases the flavors are virtually identical to that of the fresh tuber orseed from which the flour is prepared. In many cases, however, uniqueand suprising tastes result. It is not possible to predict prior topreparation what the taste will be. For example when sweet potato flouris used in various processes, the pastas taste much like the parenttubers, the breads have a light pleasant taste not like that of theparent tubers, and the cookies, nut butter, and toasted shreds tastevery much like peanuts. When malanga flour is used in various processes,the pastas taste virtually identical to wheat pastas, the pancakes tastemuch like potato pancakes, and the cookies and bread have a moderate tomoderately strong taste that can be almost bitter. The lotus flours andflour products have a flavor of sharp cheddar cheese with a very slighthint of lemon; although suprising if not expected, the flavor ispleasant. This flavor changes very little among the products of lotus,and it is therefore suitable as a flavoring ingredient. The unique,suprising, and individual tastes of each product described are herebyincorporated in this embodiment.

Similarly, as for taste and flavor, the texture, consistency, structureand the like of each flour changes significantly and sometimessuprisingly when used in products of the instantly claimed invention. Itwas not possible prior to preparation, to predict what such propertiesas texture, consistency, structure and the like would be. Some productschange dramatically in structure and texture according to temperaturechanges. For example the texture of sweet potato bread increases infirmness at cold temperatures, but becomes soft, flexible, and verysimilar to wheat breads in texture when warmed slightly; and yet thetexture of pancakes made from sweet potato flour is similar to that forwheat pancakes and does not change significantly with temperature. Someproducts when eaten are very filling and satisfying even when smallportions are eaten, making them very well suited for uses as dietingaids; sweet potato muffins are a good example of this. Other products ofthe same flour do not seem to have this property, and are ideal forthose who need to gain weight; sweet potato nut butter substitutes are agood example. The unique, suprising, and individual texture,consistency, structure, and the like of each product described herein ishereby incorporated in this embodiment.

Many of the products of the instantly claimed invention are satisfyingand filling, and provide sustained energy for several hours withoutcausing hunger, or energy peaks and sags. The uses for snack foods,foods for athletes, and the like are hereby included in this embodiment.

Many of the products described above are well suited for the preparationof packaged dry mixes, frozen products and the like, all such productsand processes are incorporated with this embodiment.

It is of course within the scope of this invention to add additionalfiber to that naturally present in the tubers, to the sweet potato,cassava, malanga, yam, amaranth, quinoa, lotus, arrowhead, buckbean andother flours of the present invention to provide further improvedproperties of the flours and products produced from the flours. Suchadditional fiber may be from the same tuber or seed, or may be from adifferent tuber or seed, and said fiber may be from other fiber sourcesconventional to the art. Such embodiments are hereby included in theinvention.

It is further possible to assemble flours with properties of thedescribed invention by combining pulverized starches obtained from theabove tubers and seeds and pulverized fibrous materials from varioussources. Such flour embodiments are hereby included in the preferredembodiments.

The present invention is concerned with the utilization of rootvegetables, seeds, and starchy fruits such as potatoes, arrowroot, waterchestnut, sugar beets, jicama, buckwheat, legumes, millet, milo, barley,oats, corn, teff, rice, cotton seed meal, bread fruit, pumpkin, wintersquash, white squash, plantain, banana, and jack fruit, with the purposeof producing various flours from the tubers, seeds and fruit, bakedproducts of risen structure, and other valuable edible products andindustrial products.

Flours and other products may be obtained from the above roots, seeds,and starchy vegetables according to methods, procedures, and examplesdescribed in the above referenced patent applications. Unless otherwiseindicated, all proportions, methods or preparation and so forth are asthose described in the aforementioned patent applications.

Thus in another embodiment of the invention, dry uncooked potatoes,arrowroot, water chestnut, sugar beets, jicama, buckwheat, legumes,millet, milo, barley, oats, corn, teff, rice, cotton seed meal, breadfruit, pumpkin, winter squash, white squash, plantain, banana, and jackfruit may each be processed to flour material by the method as describedin the parent applications for sweet potatoes, cassava, edible aroids,amaranth, quinoa, yams, lotus, and arrowhead, and the flours so producedmay be used as described in the parent applications for these flours.

Similarly, dried, completely or partially cooked potatoes, arrowroot,water chestnut, sugar beets, jicama, buckwheat, legumes, millet, milo,barley, oats, corn, teff, rice, cotton seed meal, bread fruit, pumpkin,winter squash, white squash, plantain, banana, and jack fruit may eachbe processed to flour material by the method as described above forsweet potatoes, cassava, edible aroids, amaranth, quinoa, yams, lotus,and arrowhead, and the flours so produced may be used as described inthe parent applications for these flours.

The above flours may be used in many processes to produce desirableproducts.

It is within the scope of this invention to remove some of the naturallyoccurring fiber and substitute it with fiber from another source, eg,cellulose or another tuber as well as adding additional fiber to thatnaturally occurring in a flour source, to this invention.

In another embodiment, the components of whole flours may be obtainedseparately and combined together to provide the properties of the wholeflour. These components, such as starch, insoluble fiber, eg, cellulose,and soluble substance such as but not limited to mucilages and gums, anddried vegetable juices may be assembled separately from materialsobtained from different sources which may then be mixed together.Mixing, such as milling together of such separately obtained sources ofingredients, provide the properties of the instant invention.

To prepare doughs not containing gluten from wheat or rye and yet havingsufficient strength to maintain a risen structure, a starch, aninsoluble fiber source, and a soluble fiber source may be utilized inthe manner described in the above referenced patent applications for awhole vegetable flour ingredient. Applicant has found that theseingredients are essential to the preparation of doughs with the desiredproperties, when essentially gluten-free baking products are prepared.

Contrary to the teachings of the Art, when a non-wheat or non-rye starchis used in baking doughs, the addition of fiber, especially fiber fromplant roots or stems, enhances the ability of the doughs to trap andhold air and thus maintain a risen structure. When starch and water arecombined together, the starch granules tend settle out of the water anddo not form a uniform mixture. When water and soluble fiber arecombined, the result is a solution of dissolved solute. When water andinsoluble fiber are mixed, the result is a wet fibrous mat similar towet paper pulp or wet wood pulp. Any combination of two of the threeingredients does not provide the desired properties in a baked dough.For example, when starch, insoluble fiber and water are combined andbaked the result is a hard, rubbery dough mass in which whisps of fibersmay be visually evident. When starch alone, or starch and soluble fibersare added to water and baked, the result is a hard, frothy mass of driedbubbles which looks and tastes like dried glue. Only when solublefibers, insoluble fibers and starch are combined with water, does thedesired properties and texture of dough result.

In another embodiment of the invention, baked products having sufficientcohesive strength to maintain a risen structure may be prepared fromstarch, insoluble fiber, and soluble fiber by combining effectiveamounts of starch, insoluble fiber, and soluble fiber, preferably inproportions ranging from 1:0.09-1.5:0.02-0.36, and further combiningthese ingredients with water and baking powder or other leavening agent.Preferred ranges of starch, insoluble fiber, and soluble fiber are1:0.25-0.6:0.03-0.3 part per unit weight. The edible flour of comminutedparticles of starch, soluble fiber, and insoluble fiber provides aparticle size such that the flour passes through a screen with openingsof 0.6 mm (0.02 inch) mesh. More preferably substantially all of theflour passes through a screen with openings of 0.38 mm (0.015 inch)mesh. More preferrably substantially all of the flour passes through ascreen with openings of 0.127 mm (0.005 inch) mesh. A flour in whichsubstantially all of the flour passes through a screen with openings of0.025 mm (0.001 inch) is also preferred. The edible flour of comminutedparticles of starch, soluble fiber, and insoluble fiber provides amoisture content of less than 25% by weight, preferably a moisturecontent of less than 20%, preferably with a moisture content of lessthan 15%, more preferably a moisture content of 2-5%, still morepreferably a moisture content of less than 5%, still more preferably amoisture content of less than 2%.

The starch, insoluble fiber, and soluble fiber components have theproperties, uses and proportions for baking and other uses which havebeen described in patent application Ser. Nos. 522,820 and 294,690 forwhole flours of sweet potato, cassava, edible aroids, malanga, yam,amaranth, quinoa, lotus, and arrowhead. The specific ranges which applydepend upon the properties of the starch, and soluble and insolublefibers selected for inclusion.

It is within the skill of the art to adjust the necessary proportionsaccording to the purity of the ingredients. Thus a less pure starch mayalso contain some amounts of soluble and/or insoluble fibers and sorequire the addition of correspondingly less of these added ingredients.Similarly, it is within the skill of the Art to adjust ingredients whena soluble or insoluble fiber ingredient also contains starch and/orfibrous material.

It is also within the skill of the art to combine several starchesinstead of using only one starch, and/or to combine several sources ofinsoluble fiber instead of using only one source of insoluble fiber,and/or to combine several sources of soluble fiber instead of using onlyone source of soluble fiber.

Suitable starches include but are not limited to: sweet potato starch,cassava starch, malanga starch, starch from any edible aroid, yamstarch, lotus starch, arrowhead starch, amaranth starch, quinoa starch,buckwheat starch, arrowroot starch, potato starch, banana starch, greenbean starch, water chestnut starch, oak starch, pumpkin starch,breadfruit starch, corn starch, oat starch, millet starch, milo starch,rice starch, barley starch, jackfruit starch, jicama starch, legumestarch, oat starch, teff starch, winter squash starch, white pumpkinstarch, white squash starch, and plantain starch.

Suitable sources of insoluble fiber include but are not limited to:pulverized vegetable fiber obtained by filtration after waterextraction, which is then purified, dried, and pulverized to a finepowder, alpha cellulose flour, bran, rice hulls, oat hulls, amaranthhulls, milo hulls, corn cobs, bean hulls, and soybean hulls. Pulverizedvegetable fiber refers to the insoluble fiber obtainable particularlyfrom root vegetables. Although pulverized vegetable fiber may beobtained from about any edible plant source including stems and leavesas well as roots, insoluble fiber obtained from root vegetables is mostpreferred since this fibrous material can be used in very largequantities (30% and more by weight) without imparting a gritty taste oroff flavor to the final product. Pulverized roots, stems, and leaves,when obtained as described above for pulverized vegetable fiber, arepreferred over pulverized seed coats.

Suitable sources of soluble fiber include but are not limited to: dried,pulverized vegetable juices obtained from pulverized root or othervegetables, seeds, roots, or starchy fruits by pressing, filtration, andstarch removal by centrifugation or by water extraction and subsequeststarch removal or by other suitable methods; sodiumcarboxymethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, guar gum, tragacanthgum, karaya gum, algin, agar, carrageenan, and other mucilages and gums.

As is evident from the above discussion, the central objective of thepresent invention is to provide a variety of different foodstuffs, thebasis for all of which is a tuberous plant, which is well tolerated bymany persons with multiple allergies, hence the term hypoallergenic.Thus, insofar as the flour obtained from the tuber is mixed with otheringredients which do not detrimentally affect the hypoallergenicproperties of the food product obtained, hypoallergenic foodstuffs ofdifferent sorts can be obtained by the techniques described above. Onthe other hand, it is recognized that other ingredients can be added tothe flour used in the present invention which produce useful foodstuffsof still different qualities. The present invention also embraces thesehyperallergenic foodstuffs, and therefore the present invention is notlimited to just hypoallergenic foodstuffs.

Having generally described this invention, a further understanding canbe obtained by reference to certain specific examples which are providedherein for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to belimiting unless otherwise specified.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 1 Sweet Potato Bread

Place 453 g sweet potato flour in a suitable conventional mixing device.Slowly add 623 g water and 3.25 g salt while mixing at lowest speed.When well blended mix at highest speed for about 1 minute. Stir in 47 gbaking powder; then mix at high speed for 15 seconds. As fast aspossible pour into baking pan. Carefully place in oven heated to 218° C.(425° F.) and bake for 50 minutes. The amount of water needed varieswith the moisture content and particle size of the flour. More coarseflour and/or flour with a lower moisture content will require morewater. The resultant sweet potato bread product may be used in any waywheat bread is used.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 2 Sweet Potato Imitation Cornbread

Ingredients: 304.8 g sweet potato flour, 453 g water, 23.6 g sweetpotato baking powder, 6.5 g salt, 12.5 g oil. Combine above ingredientswith baking powder added last; mix well, at highest speed withconventional mixing equipment until well blended and uniformconsistency, about 1 minute. Transfer quickly into suitable bakingcontainer and bake 20-25 minutes at 218° C. (425° F.). Alternatively,the following proportions may be used in an imitation cornbread withhoney or other liquid sweetener: 343 g sweet potato flour, 396.4 gwater, 6.5 g salt, 75 g honey, 23.6 g sweet potato baking powder, 12.5 goil.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 3 Sweet Potato Cake Dough

343 g sweet potato flour, 396.4 g water, 90 g honey, 35 g oil, 35.4 gsuitable leavening agent, may be combined in the processes described inExample 2. Dough may be baked as described in Example 2, prior to bakingor after, the cake dough may be prepared or finished with any desiredcombinations of conventional ingredients including but not limited toother flours, extenders, binders, fillers, preserving agents,sweeteners, flavorings, seasonings, eggs, milk, nuts, and so forth.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 4 Sweet Potato Muffins

Combine 343 g sweet potato flour, 453 g water, 6.5 g salt, 12.5 g oil,23.6 g sweet potato baking powder and mix well, at high speed withconventional techniques of the art until smooth and well blended. Addbaking powder and mix well. Pour quickly or transfer by other means intosuitable baking equipment. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 218° C. (425° F.).

EXAMPLE NUMBER 5 Sweet Potato Pancakes

The following ingredients: 304.8 g sweet potato flour, 453 g water, 6.5g salt, 50 g oil, 23.6 g sweet potato baking powder, are combined andmixed well on highest speed, preferably 1-2 minutes in high speedblending device. Batter may be transferred to suitable baking or fryingdevice, device to be prepared as required by the art, preheated onmedium-high heat. Dough may be cooked in sizes ranging from dot sizes toseveral feet across. Turn when top surface has turned dull and thebottom surface is golden brown in color. When honey or other liquidsweetener is used, the ingredients: 304.8 g sweet potato flour, 453 gwater, 6.5 g salt, 75 g honey, 50 g oil, 23.6 g sweet potato bakingpowder, may be used in the process described above.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 6 Sweet Potato Pancake Mix

To provide an example of a dry mix-type product, sweet potato pancakemix is used. A sweet potato pancake mix product can be made by combiningingredients: 453 g flour, 8.7 g salt, and 10.7 g sweet potato bakingpowder. Mix ingredients well in a rolling ball mill or otherconventional means to form a dry mix. Pancakes can be made from this drymix by the addition of water and water/oil mixtures.

Alternatively, by conventions of the art, the pancake mix oils may alsobe added to the above ingredient mix to produce a dry mix that containsoils. Also, sweeteners, flavors, seasonings, binders, fillers, and soforth may be utilized in the production of sweet potato pancake mixes.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 7 Sweet Potato Pizza Dough

The batters described in Example 5 may also be used as a pizza dough.Prepare batter as described above, pour dough onto pizza pan. Place inoven and bake at 218° C. (425° F.) until dough is almost done but stilltacky on the top, about 20 minutes. Add any desired ingredients, variousmeats, vegetables, spices, and other materials common to the art. Bakeuntil dough is completely done and ingredients thoroughly cooked, about10 minutes. Alternatively, the topping can be placed on the batterbefore cooking begins, or after cooking ends.

Alternatively, the dough described for pie crust, Example 15, may beused as a pizza dough. The dough is prepared as described in theexample, the dough is rolled out to the desired length, width, andthickness, toppings of any kind are added and the mixture is baked at177° C. (350° F.) for 10-30 min.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 8 Sweet Potato Waffles

The following ingredients are combined by the method described above inExample 5: 304.8 g sweet potato flour, 509.6 g water, 6.5 g salt, 50 goil, 23.6 g sweet potato baking powder. Pour batter into waffle iron orother suitable molding or shaping device preheated to 149°-260° C.(300°-500° F.). Watch for steam coming from the waffle iron as thewaffles cook. Leave waffle iron closed as long as steam can be seenrising from the waffle iron. When steam stops, all water has been bakedout of the batter and waffles are done, 5-10 minutes or more. When donethe waffles should be golden brown in color.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 9 Sweet Potato French Toast

Combine 19.5 g flour, 3.25 g salt, and 226.5 g water and mix untilsmooth and homogenous. Heat by any desired convention until mixture iswell gelatinized and thickened. Stir in 50 g oil. Pour mixture into highspeed blending device; while blending at high speed, slowly drop inground meat or other protein source and blend until meat is completelycomminuted and liquefied or combine 19.5 g flour and 226.5 g water. Heatby any desired convention until mixture is well gelatinized andthickened. Let cool. Coat pieces of sweet potato bread. Fry to slightlybrowned and crusty in lightly greased griddle or skillet preheated tomedium high. Alternatively french toast batter may be prepared by themethod as described above without cooking the flour/water mixture.French toast batter may be used for many combinations with sweet potatobread crumbs and many other coating materials or alone.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 10 Sweet Potato Cookies

Combine and mix well by the conventional art: 304.8 g sweet potatoflour, 170 g water, 6.5 g salt, 150 g oil, 12 g sweet potato bakingpowder. Form into cookie shapes by the conventional art. Bake at 177° C.(350° F.) on ungreased surface for 8-10 minutes, or until a light goldenbrown on the underside. Alternatively, add ingredients as desired to theunbaked or baked dough. Any desired fruits, nuts, flavors, andseasonings of the conventional art may also be used. When a liquidsweetener or honey is used, the following ingredients are combined asdescribed above: 304.8 g sweet potato flour, 453 g water, 6.5 g salt, 75g honey, 100 g oil, 12 g sweet potato baking powder.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 11 Sweet Potato Doughnuts, Pretzels, Hush Puppies,Doughnut Holes

From batter prepared in the method of Example 5, extrude batter througha doughnut press or any other desired device in rings onto hot oil;batter may also be dropped in balls, long pieces, even pretzel shapes.Temperature of the oil should be about 149°-260° C. (300°-500° F.). Ifthe oil is hot enough the dough will float at the top of the oil. Frydoughnuts or other shapes until golden brown on all sides. Remove fromoil, drain. Serve plain or top with fruit, honey, nuts, coconut, peanutbutter, and the like. Alternatively, doughnuts may include prepartionsof conventional ingredients including but not limited to: other flours,extenders, binders, fillers, preserving agents, flavorings, seasonings,eggs, milk, and so forth.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 12 Sweet Potato Dumplings

Combine 152.4 g sweet potato flour, 226.5 g water, 4.9 g salt, 12 gsweet potato baking powder until smooth and creamy. Let dough set forabout 15 minutes. Drop teaspoon-sized portions of batter into about 2liters of rapidly boiling water or broth, may be thickened. Allow toremain in boiling water 2-6 minutes, preferably 5 minutes. If dumplingsremain in boiling broth longer, dumplings will dissolve. When done,dumplings will be light and tender on the inside.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 13 Sweet Potato Batter

A batter prepared by the method of Example 5 may be used as batter fordeep frying and for fondue cooking techniques. Coat vegetables, fruit,or cooked meat in batter and deep fry in hot oil (preheated tomedium-high heat). If the oil is hot enough the dough should float atthe top of the oil. Test for proper temperature with a small ball ofdough.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 14 Sweet Potato Crepes

In yet another embodiment of the batter prepared in Example 5, thebatter may be used to make a crepe-like product. The batter may bediluted by the addition of 10-400 g water, preferably 100 g to make acrepe-like product. The batter is spread in very thin layers on acooking surface, and prepared according to the accepted convention.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 15 Sweet Potato Pie Crust

Mix thoroughly, 152.4 g sweet potato flour, 50 g oil, 113.25 g boilingwater. Shape into round, flat dough ball. By any conventional means,shape into appropriate dimensions for pie crust. Preferably, placebetween cellophane or wax paper sheets before rolling out dough. Thisdough is also very well suited to shaping in a mold; it can be reshapedmany times without becoming hard and leathery. sweet potato pie crustmay be used as a double or single crust pie, with any type of filling,including meat (eg, chicken pot pie) or fruit filling. For a baked piecrust, bake for 10 minutes at 177° C. (350° F.).

Although above ingredients are preferred, sweet potato flour may be usedwith shortening or lard and any other conventional ingredients. Forexample, when using lard, use about 100 g and decrease water to 10-14 g.Dough will seem stiff and hard, but will be just right after baking.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 16 Sweet Potato Tortillas, Chips

Mix 152.4 g sweet potato flour with 170 g water; knead until wellblended and very thick. By any desired conventional means achieve theshapes and sizes of tortillas or chips. May be fried with or withoutoil, or baked. When fried without oil, heat on medium high heat untilslightly browned on both sides; turn as needed. When fried in hot oil,fry until crisp. Alternatively, bake by conventional means until crisp.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 17 Sweet Potato Pretzels

Doughs produced by the processes described in Examples 15 and 16 may beused in processes of shaping to form pretzels of various sizes, coatingwith oil (optional), cooking by various processes of the art includingbut not limited to baking, frying, and drying to produce pretzels ofvarying sizes.

EXAMPLE 18 Sweet Potato Imitation Nut Butter

453 grams of sweet potato flour are placed into any blending equipmentsuitable for mixing very thick doughs at very high speeds, to which isadded 200-250 g edible fatty material, such as vegetable oils (preferredfor hypoallergenic products) but could also include other fattymaterials; add to this a paste made of 4.7 g flour and 28.4 g water thathas been cooked. The materials are thoroughly mixed for about 2 minutesor until the entire mixture is well blended, and the consistency ofpeanut butter. Alternatively, the nut butter substitute can be made bythe flour and oil mixture alone, omitting the flour and water paste.

EXAMPLE 19 Sweet Potato Imitation Mayonnaise

Combine 47.6 g sweet potato flour, 6.5 g salt, and 113.25 g cold wateruntil well blended. Add slowly to 340 g boiling water, stirringconstantly. Continue stirring until mixture is completely gelatinizedand thickened; cool to about 10° C. (50° F.). Place mixture inconventional high speed blending device; add 200 g oil,(optional: 21.3 glemon juice, vinegar, or ascorbic acid solution). Mix materials onhighest speed until well blended, smooth, and uniform consistency.Mayonnaise will thicken as it cools.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 20 Sweet Potato Milk

Combine 453 g water and 76.2 g sweet potato flour; mix thoroughly.Stirring constantly, heat until well gelatinized, thick, and wellblended. Blend together an additional 453 g water, 76.2 g very finelycomminuted sweet potato flour, and 37.5 g oil in any high speed blendingdevice. Add in the cooked flour mixture. Blend 1-30 minutes at highestspeeds, preferably 4 minutes. May be strained if flour not sufficientlyfine.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 21 Sweet Potato Milk Shake

Combine 76.2 g flour and 226.5 g water in suitable mixing and heatingapparatus. As mixture approaches boiling point, increase revolutions perminute. Continue rapid stirring while boiling for about 5 minutes. Whenthoroughly gelatinized, very thick, and smooth, cool to 10° C. (50° F.)or lower, preferably 2° C. (35° F.). In high speed blending device,combine gelatinized mixture, 12.5 g oil, 76.2 g sweet potato flour, and226.5 g crushed ice. Blend well at speeds high enough to partiallyfreeze mixture as ice particles become crushed and fine to form a thickslurry the consistency of a milk shake. The above milk shake-likeproduct without further embodiments has a very pleasant taste, althoughany desired combination of fruits, nuts, sweeteners, flavorings,seasonings, spices, fillers, extenders, binders, and so forth may alsobe added to the product.

Alternatively, the milk shake-like product may be formed by 152.4 gflour, 453 g water and 12.5 g oil (226.5 g water and flour still cookedas described above) under conditions of simultaneous freezing and mixingto form a milk shake-like slurry without adding crushed ice. Similarlyother methods of the art may be used to produce the frozen slurry.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 22 Sweet Potato Ice Cream

The milk shake-like product described in example 21 may be used as abase for ice cream products. The above slurry is subjected to freezingfrom 0° C. (32° F.) to -34° C. (-30° F.) or lower, preferably -29° C. to-18° C. (-20° F. to 0° F.), until product attains this temperature.Frozen mixture is then comminuted, and placed in high speed blendingequipment and blended at highest speeds until well mixed, smooth, andcreamy. Freezing, comminuting and mixing cycles may be repeated asdesired, 2 such cycles are preferred. Additional embodiments describedin Example 21 may also be used in this example.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 23 Sweet Potato Noodles

Using conventional equipment for kneading thick dough, combine 453 gflour and 340 g boiling water. Knead well until dough is well mixed andforms soft doughy clumps. Extrude to various shapes of macaroni,fettucine, spaghetti, lasagna and the like. Cut to desired lengths, dryby any conventional means, preferably air drying on trays, conveyors orthe like. Dough may also be used to make any pasta product common in theart including but not limited to ravioli, Chinese-style meat fillednoodle dumplings, and other meat-filled products.

Alternatively a small amount of flour and water, preferably 20 g sweetpotato flour and 120 g water may be cooked to a thick paste and added tothe above mixture. In another alternative process, prior to extruding,the flour mixture described above which may or may not be simultaneouslykneaded, may be maintained at temperatures above 50° C. for 2-30minutes, preferably 2-5 minutes at 95° C. to gelatinize part or all ofthe dough.

When cooking, immerse noodles in boiling water for 2-10 minutesdepending on width of noodles. Any other cooking techniques of the artmay also be used. Noodles will change from off-opaque to light brown asthe starch granules gelatinize. Noodles may be used in any type pastadish--soups, stews, pasta and sauce dishes, and the like.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 24 Sweet Potato Crackers

In any suitable machine for mixing heavy doughs, combine 453 g sweetpotato flour, 453 g water, 3.25 g salt, 75 g oil, and 23.6 g bakingpowder. By any conventional means, including but not limited to molding,rolling, cutting, extruding, and the like, shape into desired shapes.Coat with a very thin film of oil, sprinkling with salt. Heat to 177° C.(350° F.) for 20 minutes. Otherwise, cook by any convention of the art,including baking, frying and the like. Alternatively, omit oil, or oiland salt, increasing water by 30 grams.

EXAMPLE 25 Sweet Potato Pudding

Combine equal parts by volume of cooked, mashed sweet potato and water,using 1 liter of each. The method of cooking and pureeing may be by anyconventional means including but not limited to steam heat, boiling andpressure cooking. The preferred method involves subjecting the peeled orunpeeled raw tubers, peeled tubers are preferred, to application ofsteam until all starch particles are gelatinized. The gelatinized tubersare blended to a thick paste by any conventional means. Separately 152.4g sweet potato flour is combined with 1 Kg water and heated to boilingpoint for 5 minutes to produce a thick gelatinized paste. Thegelatinized paste is combined with the cooked tuber paste by anyconventional mixing technique until well blended. The mixture is theconsistency of pudding, and with the addition of no other ingredientshas a pleasant, sweet taste.

Pudding can also be made by combining 453 g water and 76.2 g flour insuitable heating apparatus. As mixture reaches boiling point stirconstantly. When thoroughly gelatinized, and very thick, put in highspeed bleeding device and mix on high for 5 minutes. Add 25 g oil andmix again. Cool almost to freezing.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 26 Sweet Potato Pie

1. Using the method described in Example 15, make a sweet potato piecrust and place it in any appropriate container for baking.

2. Combine 76.2 g sweet potato flour and 453 g water, heat the resultantmixture by any conventional means with stirring until the mixture isvery thick and completely gelatinized. Place in high speed blendingdevice and blend at highest setting for at least 5 minutes. Add 25 g oiland blend again for 1-2 minutes.

3. Combine 19.05 g sweet potato flour and 113.25 g water, heat theresultant mixture by any conventional means with stirring until themixture is very thick and completely gelatinized. Combine this thickmixture with the following: 500 mls cooked or orange sweet potato puree,188 mIs any honey (optional)--dry sweeteners are also an optionalingredient, 3.25 g salt, seasonings: 4 g ground cinnamon, 2 g ginger, 1g cloves (seasonings optional), 420 ml of the mixture obtained instep 1. Mix together by any conventional means.

4. Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust. Baking temperature and times mayvary from no baking to 218° C. (425° F.) for 1.5 hours. Preferably, bakeat 177°-218° C. (350°-425° F.) just until filling bubbles and crust isbrowned. Alternatively custard will form on standing and no baking isrequired, thus, mixture from step 3 may also be placed in baked pieshell and cooled with no baking step. Also, repeated freezing-thawingcycles do not affect the quality of the pie filling.

EXAMPLE 27 Sweet Potato Flour

Peel sweet potatoes under running water, also removing any spots and/orundesirable areas, then free of excess water, dip briefly in distilledwater, again remove excess; do not soak. Shred to desired size, place onglass or metal trays; air dry at 63° C. (145° F.) for 8-12 hours,preferably 10 hours. Comminute shreds with any desired technique thatincorporates most of the fiber, 100% utilization is preferred, into theflour product that is a fine flour of relatively uniform particle sizedistribution.

EXAMPLE 28 Cooked Sweet Potato Flour

The method of example 28 is used to produce a cooked flour product, withthe added process of heating the sweet potato tuber with steam untilgelatinized, and then proceeding with shredding and drying steps.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 29 Cassava Bread

Place 572 g cassava flour in a suitable conventional mixing device.Slowly add 509.6 g water while mixing at lowest speed. When well blendedmix, at highest speed for about 1 minute. Stir in 34.14 g baking powder;then mix at high speed for 15 seconds. As fast as possible pour intobaking pan. Carefully place in oven heated to 218° C. (425° F.) and bakefor 40 minutes. The amount of water needed varies with the moisturecontent and particle size of the flour. More coarse flour and/or flourwith a lower moisture content will require more water. The resultantcassava bread product may be used in any way wheat bread is used.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 30 Cassava Imitation Cornbread

Ingredients: 286 g cassava flour, 339.75 g water, 16 g cassava bakingpowder, 6.5 g salt, 37.5 g oil. Combine above ingredients with bakingpowder added last; mix well, at highest speed with conventional mixingequipment until well blended and uniform consistency, about 1 minute.Transfer quickly into suitable baking container and bake 20-25 minutesat 218° C. (425° F.). Alternatively, the following proportions may beused in an imitation cornbread with honey or other liquid sweetener: 286g cassava flour, 339.75 g water, 6.5 g salt, 46.9 g honey, 16 g cassavabaking powder, 31.25 g oil.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 31 Cassava Cake Dough

286 g cassava flour, 339.75 g water, 46.9 g honey, 31.25 g oil, 22 gsuitable leavening agent, may be combined in the processes described inExample 30. Dough may be baked as described in Example 30, prior tobaking or after, the cake dough may be prepared or finished with anydesired combinations of conventional ingredients including but notlimited to other flours, extenders, binders, fillers, preserving agents,sweeteners, flavorings, seasonings, eggs, milk, nuts, and so forth.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 32 Cassava Muffins

Combine 286 g cassava flour, 340 g water, 6.5 g salt, 37.5 g oil, andmix well, at high speed with conventional techniques of the art untilsmooth and well blended. Add 16 g leavening agent. Pour quickly ortransfer by other means into suitable baking equipment. Bake for 20-25minutes at 218° C. (425° F.).

EXAMPLE NUMBER 33 Cassava Pancakes

The following ingredients: 429 g cassava flour, 453 g water, 6.5 g salt,43.75 g oil, 23.6 g cassava baking powder, are combined and mixed wellon highest speed, preferably 1-2 minutes in high speed blending device.Batter may be transferred to suitable baking or frying device, device tobe prepared as required by the art, preheated on medium-high heat. Doughmay be cooked in sizes ranging from dot sizes to several feet across.Turn when top surface has turned dull and the bottom surface is goldenbrown in color. When honey or other liquid sweetener is used, theingredients: 429 g cassava flour, 453 g water, 6.5 g salt, 46.9 g honey,31.25 g oil, 23.6 g cassava baking powder, may be used in the processdescibed above.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 34 Cassava Pancake Mix

To provide an example of a dry mix-type product, cassava pancake mix isused. A cassava pancake mix product can be made by combiningingredients: 572 g flour, 8.7 g salt, and 10.7 g cassava baking powder.Mix ingredients well in a rolling ball mill or other conventional meansto form a dry mix. Pancakes can be made from this dry mix by theaddition of water and water/oil mixtures.

Alternatively, by conventions of the art, the pancake mix oils may alsobe added to the above ingredient mix to produce a dry mix that containsoils. Also, sweeteners, flavors, seasonings, binders, fillers, and soforth may be utilized in the production of cassava pancake mixes.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 35 Cassava Pizza Dough

The batters described in Example 33 may also be used as a pizza dough.Prepare batter as described above, pour dough onto pizza pan. Place inoven and bake at 218° C.(425° F.) until dough is almost done but stilltacky on the top, about 20 minutes. Add any desired ingredients, variousmeats, vegetables, spices, and other materials common to the art. Bakeuntil dough is completely done and ingredients thoroughly cooked, about10 minutes.

Alternatively, the topping can be placed on the batter before cookingbegins, or after cooking ends. Alternatively, the dough described forpie crust, Example 43, may be used as a pizza dough. The dough isprepared as described in the example, the dough is rolled out to thedesired length, width, and thickness, toppings of any kind are added andthe mixture is baked at 177° C. (350° F.) for 10-30 minutes.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 36 Cassava Waffles

The following ingredients are combined by the method described above inExample 33: 429 g cassava flour, 453 g water, 6.5 g salt, 43.75 g oil,23.6 g cassava baking powder. Pour batter into waffle iron or othersuitable molding or shaping device preheated to 149°-260° C. (300°-500°F.). Watch for steam coming from the waffle iron as the waffles cook.Leave waffle iron closed as long as steam can be seen rising from thewaffle iron. When steam stops, all water has been baked out of thebatter and waffles are done, 5-10 minutes or more. When done the wafflesshould be golden brown in color.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 37 Cassava French Toast

Combine 17.9 g flour, 6.5 g salt, and 283.1 g water and mix until smoothand homogenous. Heat by any desired convention until mixture is wellgelatinized and thickened. Stir in 50 g oil. Pour mixture into highspeed blending device; while blending at high speed, slowly drop inground meat or other protein source and blend until meat is completelycomminuted and liquefied or cook 226.5 g water and 17.9 g cassava flouruntil gelatinized and thickened. Coat pieces of cassava bread. Fry toslightly browned and crusty in lightly greased griddle or skilletpreheated to medium high. Alternatively french toast batter may beprepared by the method as described above without cooking theflour/water mixture. French toast batter may be used for manycombinations with cassava bread crumbs and many other coating materialsor alone.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 38 Cassava Cookies

Combine and mix well by the conventional art: 357.5 g cassava flour,226.5 g water, 6.5 g salt, 100 g oil, 8 g cassava baking powder. Forminto cookie shapes by the conventional art. Bake at 177° C. (350° F.) onungreased surface for 8-10 minutes, or until a light golden brown on theunderside. Alternatively, add toppings as desired to the unbaked orbaked dough. Any desired fruit, nut, flavors, seasonings of theconventional art may also be used. When a liquid sweetener or honey isused, the following ingredients are combined as described above: 357.5 gcassava flour, 226.5 g water, 6.5 g salt, 50 g honey, 50 g oil, 8 gcassava baking powder.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 39 Cassava Doughnuts, Pretzels, Hush Puppies, DoughnutHoles

From batter prepared in the method of Example 33, extrude batter througha doughnut press or any other desired device in rings onto hot oil;batter may also be dropped in balls, long pieces, even pretzel shapes.Temperature of the oil should be about 149°-260° C. (300°-500° F.). Ifthe oil is hot enough the dough will float at the top of the oil. Frydoughnuts or other shapes until golden brown on all sides. Remove fromoil, drain. Serve plain or top with fruit, honey, nuts, coconut, peanutbutter, etc. Alternatively, doughnuts may be prepartions of conventionalingredients including but not limited to: other flours, extenders,binders, fillers, preserving agents, flavorings, seasonings, eggs, milk,and so forth.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 40 Cassava Dumplings

Combine 286 g cassava flour, 226.5 g water, until smooth and creamy, add16 g cassava baking powder and mix well. Let dough set for about 15minutes. Drop teaspoon-sized portions of batter into about 2 liters ofrapidly boiling water or broth, may be thickened. Allow to remain inboiling water 2-6 minutes, preferably 5 minutes. If dumplings remain inboiling broth longer, dumplings will dissolve. When done, dumplings willbe light and tender on the inside.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 41 Cassava Batter

A batter prepared by the method of Example 33 may be used as batter fordeep frying and for fondue cooking techniques. Coat vegetables, fruit,or cooked meat in batter and deep fry in hot oil (preheated tomedium-high heat). If the oil is hot enough the dough should float atthe top of the oil. Test for proper temperature with a small ball ofdough.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 42 Cassava Crepes

In yet another embodiment of the batter prepared in Example 33, thebatter may be used to make a crepe-like product. The batter may bediluted by the addition of 10-400 g water, preferably 100 g to make acrepe-like product. The batter is spread in very thin layers on acooking surface, and prepared according to the accepted convention.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 43 Cassava Pie Crust

Mix thoroughly, 143 g cassava flour, 50 g oil, 56.8 g water. Shape intoround, flat dough ball. By any conventional means, shape intoappropriate dimensions for pie crust. Preferably, place betweencellophane or wax paper sheets before rolling out dough. This dough isalso very well suited to shaping in a mold; it can be reshaped manytimes without becoming hard and leathery. Cassava pie crust may be usedas a double or single crust pie, with any type of filling, includingmeat (eg, chicken pot pie) or fruit filling. For a baked pie crust, bakefor 10 minutes at 177° C. (350° F.).

Although above ingredients are preferred, cassava flour may be used withshortening or lard and any other conventional ingredients. For example,when using lard, use about 100 g and decrease water to 10-14 g. Doughwill seem stiff and hard, but will be just right after baking.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 44 Cassava Tortillas, Chips

Mix 143 g cassava flour with 85.2 g boiling water; knead until wellblended and very thick. By any desired conventional means achieve theshapes and sizes of tortillas or chips. May be fried with or withoutoil, or baked. When fried without oil, heat on medium high heat untilslightly browned on both sides; turn as needed. When fried in hot oil,fry until crisp. Alternatively, bake by conventional means until crisp.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 45 Cassava Pretzels

Doughs produced by the processes described in Examples 44 and 45 may beused in processes of shaping to form pretzels of various sizes, coatingwith oil (optional), cooking by various processes of the art includingbut not limited to baking, frying, and drying to produce pretzels ofvarying sizes.

EXAMPLE 46 Cassava Imitation Nut Butter

572 grams of cassava flour are placed into any blending equipmentsuitable for mixing very thick doughs at very high speeds, to which isadded 200-250 g edible fatty material, such as vegetable oils (preferredfor hypoallergenic products) but could also include other fattymaterials. Add to this a paste made of 28.4 g water and 4.45 g cassavaflour that have been cooked until gelatinized. The materials arethroughly mixed for about 2 minutes or until the entire mixture is wellblended, and the consistency of peanut butter.

EXAMPLE 47 Cassava Imitation Mayonnaise

Combine 43.16 g cassava flour, 6.5 g salt, and 113.25 g cold water untilwell blended. Add slowly to 340 g boiling water, stirring constantly.Continue stirring, while maintaining temperature at 50°-150° C., untilmixture is completely gelatinized and thickened. Cool. Place mixture inconventional high speed blending device; add 200 g oil, (optional: 21.3g lemon juice, vinegar, or ascorbic acid solution). Mix materials onhighest speed until well blended, smooth, and uniform consistency.Mayonnaise will thicken as it cools.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 48 Cassava Milk

Combine 453 g water and 71.5 g cassava flour, mix thoroughly. Stirringconstantly, heat until well gelatinized, thick, and well blended. Blendtogether an additional 453 g water, 71.5 g very finely comminutedcassava flour, and 4.17 g oil in any high speed blending device. Add inthe cooked flour mixture. Blend 1-30 minutes at highest speeds,preferably 4 minutes. May be strained if flour not sufficiently fine.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 49 Cassava Milk Shake

Combine 71.5 g flour and 226.5 g water in suitable mixing and heatingapparatus. As mixture approaches boiling point, increase revolutions perminute. Continue rapid stirring while boiling for about 5 minutes. Whenthoroughly gelatinized, very thick, and smooth, cool to 10° C.(50° F.)or lower, preferably 2° C. (35° F.). In high speed blending device,combine gelatinized mixture, 12.5 g oil, 71.5 g cassava flour, and 113 gcrushed ice. Blend well at speeds high enough to partially freezemixture as ice particles become crushed and fine to form a thick slurrythe consistency of a milk shake. The above milk shake-like productwithout further embodiments has a very pleasant taste, although anydesired combination of fruits, nuts, sweeteners, flavorings, seasonings,spices, fillers, extenders, binders, and so forth may also be added tothe product.

Alternatively, the milk shake-like product may be formed by 152.4 gflour, 453 g water and 12.5 g oil (1/2 water and flour still cooked asdescribed above) under conditions of simultaneous freezing and mixing toform a milk shake-like slurry without adding crushed ice. Similarlyother methods of the art may be used to produce the frozen slurry.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 50 Cassava Ice Cream

The milk shake-like product described in Example 49 may be used as abase for ice cream products. The above slurry is subjected to freezingfrom 0° C.(32° F.) to -34° C. (-30° F.) or lower, preferably -29° C. to-18° C. (-20° F. to 0° F.), until product attains this temperature.Frozen mixture is then comminuted, and placed in high speed blendingequipment and blended at highest speeds until well mixed, smooth, andcreamy. Freezing, comminuting and mixing cycles may be repeated asdesired, 2 such cycles are preferred. Additional embodiments describedin Example 21 may also be used in this example.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 51 Cassava Noodles

Using conventional equipment for kneading thick dough, combine 572 gflour and 340 g boiling water. Knead well until dough is well mixed andforms soft doughy clumps. Extrude to various shapes of macaroni,fettucine, spaghetti, lasagna and the like. Cut to desired lengths, dryby any conventional means, preferably air drying on trays, conveyors orthe like. Dough may be used to make any pasta product common in the artincluding but not limited to ravioli, Chinese-style meat filled noodledumplings, and other meat-filled products.

Alternatively a small amount of flour and water, preferably 20 g cassavaflour and 120 g water may be cooked to a thick paste and added to theabove mixture. In another alternative process, prior to extruding, theflour mixture described above which may or may not be simultaneouslykneaded, may be maintained at temperatures above 50° C. for 2-30minutes, preferably 2-5 minutes at 95° C. to gelatinize part of all ofthe dough.

When cooking, immerse noodles in boiling water for 2-10 minutesdepending on width of noodles. Any other cooking techniques of the artmay also be used. Noodles may be used in any type pasta dish--soups,stews, pasta and sauce dishes, and the like.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 52 Cassava Crackers

In any suitable machine for mixing heavy doughs, combine 572 g cassavaflour, 340 g water, 3.25 g salt, 75 g oil, and 23.6 g baking powder. Byany conventional means, including but not limited to molding, rolling,cutting, extruding, and the like, shape into desired shapes. Coat with avery thin film of oil, sprinkling with salt. Heat to 177° C.(350° F.)for 20 minutes. Otherwise, cook by any convention of the art, includingbaking, frying and the like.

Alternatively, omit oil, or oil and salt, increasing water by 30 grams.

EXAMPLE 53 Cassava Pudding

Combine equal parts by volume of cooked, mashed cassava and water, using113.25 g of each. The method of cooking and pureeing may be by anyconventional means including but not limited to steam heat, boiling andpressure cooking. The preferred method involves subjecting the peeled orunpeeled raw tubers, peeled tubers are preferred, to application ofsteam until all starch particles are gelatinized. The gelatinized tubersare blended to a thick paste by any conventional means. Separately 4.45g cassava flour is combined with 28.4 g water and heated to boilingpoint for 5. minutes to produce a thick gelatinized paste. Thegelatinized paste is combined with the cooked tuber paste by anyconventional mixing technique until well blended. The mixture is theconsistency of pudding, and with the addition of no other ingredientshas a pleasant, sweet taste. This is not to preclude the use of otheringredients commonly used as ingredients in pudding such as eggs, milk,conventional flours, oil, sweeteners, flavorants, spices, seasonings, ofany kind in this invention or cook 226.5 g water and 16.18 g cassavaflour until gelatinized and thickened. Cool.

EXAMPLE 54 Cassava Flour

Thinly peel entire, untrimmed cassava tubers under running water, alsoremoving any spots and/or, undesirable areas, but retaining the innerportion of the peel, and the woody parts of the tuber, including thewoody ends of the tubers. Then free of excess water, dip briefly indistilled water, again remove excess. Do not soak. Shred to desiredsize, place on glass or metal trays; air dry at 63° C. (145° F.) for8-12 hours, preferably 10 hours. Comminute shreds with any desiredtechnique that utilizes most of the fiber, 100% utilization ispreferred, to produce a flour product that is a fine flour of relativelyuniform particle size distribution.

EXAMPLE 55 Cooked Cassava Flour

Cassava and other tubers are processed by the method of Example 54, withthe added step of partially or completely gelatinizing the tubers as aseparate step or in combination with other process steps.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 56 Malanga Bread

Place 453 g malanga flour in a suitable conventional mixing device.Slowly add 566 g water while mixing at lowest speed. When well blended,mix at highest speed for about 1 minute. Stir in 35.4 g baking powder;then mix at high speed for 15 seconds. As fast as possible pour intobaking pan. Carefully place in oven heated to 218° C. (425° F.) and bakefor 40 minutes. The amount of water needed varies with the moisturecontent and particle size of the flour. More coarse flour and/or flourwith a lower moisture content will require more water. The resultantmalanga bread product may be used in any way wheat bread is used.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 57 Malanga Imitation Cornbread EXAMPLE NUMBER 57 MalangaImitation Cornbread

Ingredients: 453 g malanga flour, 566.25 g water, 35.4 g malanga bakingpowder. Combine above ingredients with baking powder added last; mixwell, at highest speed with conventional mixing equipment until wellblended and uniform consistency, about 1 minute. Transfer quickly intosuitable baking container and bake 30-40 minutes at 218° C. (425° F.).Alternatively, the following proportions may be used in an imitationcornbread with honey or other liquid sweetener: 453 g malanga flour, 566g water, 150 g honey, 35.4 g malanga baking powder. This product is usedin the production of cake doughs.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 58 Malanga Muffins

Combine 453 g malanga flour, 566 g water 12.5 g oil, 35.4 g malangabaking powder and mix well, at high speed with conventional techniquesof the art until smooth and well blended. Add baking powder and mixwell. Pour quickly or transfer by other means into suitable bakingequipment. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 218° C. (425° F.).

EXAMPLE NUMBER 59 Malanga Pancakes

The following ingredients: 336.9 g malanga flour, 453 g water, 6.5 gsalt, 50 g oil, 8 g malanga baking powder, are combined and mixed wellon highest speed, preferably 1-2 minutes in high speed blending device.Batter may be transferred to suitable baking or frying device, device tobe prepared as required by the art, preheated on medium-high heat. Doughmay be cooked in sizes ranging from dot sizes to several feet across.Turn when top surface has turned dull and the bottom surface is goldenbrown in color.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 60 Malanga Pancake Mix

To provide an example of a dry mix-type product, malanga pancake mix isused. A malanga pancake mix product can be made by combiningingredients: 453 g flour, 87 g salt, and 10.7 g malanga baking powder.Mix ingredients well in a rolling ball mill or other conventional meansto form a dry mix. Pancakes can be made from this dry mix by theaddition of water and water/oil mixtures.

Alternatively, by conventions of the art, the pancake mix oils may alsobe added to the above ingredient mix to produce a dry mix that containsoils. Also, sweeteners, flavors, seasonings, binders, fillers, and soforth may be utilized in the production of malanga pancake mixes.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 61 Malanga Pizza Dough

The batters described in Example 59 may also be used as a pizza dough.Prepare batter as described above, pour dough onto pizza pan. Place inoven and bake at 218° C. (425° F.) until dough is almost done but stilltacky on the top, about 20 minutes. Add any desired ingredients, variousmeats, vegetables, spices, and other materials common to the art. Bakeuntil dough is completely done and ingredients thoroughly cooked, about10 minutes.

Alternatively, the topping can be placed on the batter before cookingbegins, or after cooking ends. Alternatively, the dough described forpie crust, Example 69, may be used as a pizza dough. The dough isprepared as described in the example, the dough is rolled out to thedesired length, width, and thickness, toppings of any kind are added andthe mixture is baked at 177° C. (350° F.) for 10-30 minutes.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 62 Malanga Waffles

The following ingredients are combined by the method described above inExample 60: 336.9 g malanga flour, 453 g water, 6.5 g salt, 50 g oil, 8g malanga baking powder. Pour batter into waffle iron or other suitablemolding or shaping device preheated to 149°-260° C. (300°-500° F.).Watch for steam coming from the waffle iron as the waffles cook. Leavewaffle iron closed as long as steam can be seen rising from the waffleiron. When steam stops, all water has been baked out of the batter andwaffles are done, 5-10 minutes or more. When done the waffles should begolden brown in color.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 63 Malanga French Toast

Combine 21 g malanga flour, 3.25 g salt, and 297.5 g water and mix untilsmooth and homogenous. Heat by any desired convention until mixture iswell gelatinized and thickened. Stir in 50 g oil. Pour mixture into highspeed blending device; while blending at high speed, slowly drop inground meat or other protein source and blend until meat is completelycomminuted and liquefied. Alternatively, cook 226.5 g water and 21 gmalanga flour until well gelatinized and thickened. Coat pieces ofmalanga bread. Fry to slightly browned and crusty in lightly greasedgriddle or skillet preheated to medium high. Alternatively french toastbatter may be prepared by the method as described above without cookingthe flour/water mixture. French toast batter may be used for manycombinations with malanga bread crumbs and many other coating materialsor alone.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 64 Malanga Cookies

Combine and mix well by the conventional art: 505.4 g malanga flour,210.6 g water, 6.5 g salt, 150 g oil, 18 g malanga baking powder. Forminto cookie shapes by the conventional art, preferably very thin. Bakeat 177° C. (350° F.) on ungreased surface for 8-10 minutes, or until alight golden brown on the underside. Alternatively, add toppings asdesired to the unbaked or baked dough. Any desired fruit, nut, flavors,seasonings of the conventional art may also be used. When a liquidsweetener or honey is used, the following ingredients are combined asdescribed above: 505.4 g malanga flour, 170 g water, 1.6 g salt, 150 ghoney, 150 g oil, 18 g malanga baking powder.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 65 Malanga Doughnuts, Pretzels, Hush Puppies, DoughnutHoles

From batter prepared in the method of Example 59, extrude batter througha doughnut press or any other desired device in rings onto hot oil;batter may also be dropped in balls, long pieces, even pretzel shapes.Temperature of the oil should be about 149°-260° C. (300°-500° F.). Ifthe oil is hot enough the dough will float at the top of the oil. Frydoughnuts or other shapes until golden brown on all sides. Remove fromoil, drain. Serve plain or top with fruit, honey, nuts, coconut, peanutbutter, etc. Alternatively, doughnuts may be prepartions of conventionalingredients including but not limited to: other flours, extenders,binders, fillers, preserving agents, flavorings, seasonings, eggs, milk,and so forth.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 66 Malanga Dumplings

Prepare a dumpling batter in the method of Example 60. Let dough set forabout 15 minutes. Drop teaspoon-sized portions of batter into about 2liters of rapidly boiling water or broth, may be thickened. Allow toremain in boiling water 2-6 minutes, preferably 5 minutes. If dumplingsremain in boiling broth longer, dumplings will dissolve. When done,dumplings will be light and tender on the inside.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 67 Malanga Batter

A batter prepared by the method of Example 59 may be used as batter fordeep frying and for fondue cooking techniques. Coat vegetables, fruit,or cooked meat in batter and deep fry in hot oil (preheated tomedium-high heat). If the oil is hot enough the dough should float atthe top of the oil. Test for proper temperature with a small ball ofdough.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 68 Malanga Crepes

In yet another embodiment of the batter prepared in Example 59, thebatter may be used to make a crepe-like product. The batter may bediluted by the addition of 10-400 g water, preferably 100 g to make acrepe-like product. The batter is spread in very thin layers on acooking surface, and prepared according to the accepted convention.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 69 Malanga Pie Crust

Mix thoroughly, 168.5 g malanga flour, 50 g oil, 170 g boiling water.Shape into round, flat dough ball. By any conventional means, shape intoappropriate dimensions for pie crust. Preferably, place betweencellophane or wax paper sheets before rolling out dough. This dough isalso very well suited to shaping in a mold; it can be reshaped manytimes without becoming hard and leathery. Malanga pie crust may be usedas a double or single crust pie, with any type of filling, includingmeat (eg, chicken pot pie) or fruit filling. For a baked pie crust, bakefor 10 minutes at 177° C. (350° F.).

Although above ingredients are preferred, malanga flour may be used withshortening or lard and any other conventional ingredients. For example,when using lard, use about 100 g and decrease water to 10-14 g. Doughwill seem stiff and hard, but will be just right after baking.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 70 Malanga Tortillas, Chips

Mix 168.5 g malanga flour with 170 g water; knead until well blended andvery thick. By any desired conventional means achieve the shapes andsizes of tortillas or chips. May be fried with or without oil, or baked.When fried without oil, heat on medium high heat until slightly brownedon both sides; turn as needed. When fried in hot oil, fry until crisp.Alternatively, bake by conventional means until crisp.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 71 Malanga Pretzels

Doughs produced by the processes described in Examples 69 and 70 may beused in processes of shaping to form pretzels of various sizes, coatingwith oil (optional), cooking by various processes of the art includingbut not limited to baking, frying, and drying to produce pretzels ofvarying sizes.

EXAMPLE 72 Malanga Imitation Nut Butter

453 grams of malanga flour are placed into any blending equipmentsuitable for mixing very thick doughs at very high speeds, to which isadded 170-225 g edible fatty material, such as vegetable oils (preferredfor hypoallergenic products) but could also include other fattymaterials, and a gelatinized paste produced by cooking 21 g malangaflour and 113.25 g water. The materials are throughly mixed for about 2minutes or until the entire mixture is well blended, and the consistencyof peanut butter.

EXAMPLE 73 Malanga Imitation Mayonnaise

Combine 52.6 g malanga flour, 6.5 g salt, and 113.25 g cold water untilwell blended. Add slowly to 340 g boiling water, stirring constantly.Continue stirring until mixture is completely gelatinized and thickened.Place mixture in conventional high speed blending device; add 200 g oil,and optional: 21.3 g lemon juice, vinegar, or ascorbic acid solution.Mix materials on highest speed until well blended, smooth, and uniformconsistency. Mayonnaise will thicken as it cools.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 74 Malanga Milk

Combine 453 g water and 42.1 g malanga flour, mix thoroughly. Stirringconstantly, heat until well gelatinized, thick, and well blended. Blendtogether an additional 453 g water, 126.3 g very finely comminutedmalanga flour, and 18.7 g oil in any high speed blending device. Add inthe cooked flour mixture. Blend 1-30 minutes at highest speeds,preferably 4 minutes. May be strained if flour not sufficiently fine.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 75 Malanga Noodles

Using conventional equipment for kneading thick dough, combine 453 gflour and 340 g boiling water. Knead well until dough is well mixed andforms soft doughy clumps. Extrude to various shapes of macaroni,fettucine, spaghetti, lasagna and the like. Cut to desired lengths, dryby any conventional means, preferably air drying on trays, conveyors orthe like. Dough may be used to make any pasta product common in the artincluding but not limited to ravioli, Chinese-style meat filled noodledumplings, and other meat-filled products.

Alternatively a small amount of flour and water, preferably 20 g malangaflour and 120 g water may be cooked to a thick paste and added to theabove mixture. In another alternative process, prior to extruding, theflour mixture described above which may or may not be simultaneouslykneaded, may be maintained at temperatures above 50° C. for 2-30minutes, preferably 2-5 minutes at 95° C. to gelatinize part of all ofthe dough.

When cooking, immerse noodles in boiling water for 2-10 minutesdepending on width of noodles. Any other cooking techniques of the artmay also be used. Noodles may be used in any type pasta dish--soups,stews, pasta and sauce dishes, and the like.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 76 Malanga Crackers

In any suitable machine for mixing heavy doughs, combine 453 g malangaflour, 340 water, 6.5 g salt, 75 g oil, and 23.6 g baking powder. By anyconventional means, including but not limited to molding, rolling,cutting, extruding, and the like, shape into desired shapes. Coat with avery thin film of oil, sprinkling with salt. Heat to 177° C. (350° F.)for 20 minutes. Otherwise, cook by any convention of the art, includingbaking, frying and the like. Alternatively, omit oil, or oil and salt,increasing water by 30 grams.

EXAMPLE 77 Malanga Pudding

Combine equal parts by volume of cooked, mashed malanga and water, using113.25 g of each. The method of cooking and pureeing may be by anyconventional means including but not limited to steam heat, boiling andpressure cooking. The preferred method involves subjecting the peeled orunpeeled raw tubers, peeled tubers are preferred, to application ofsteam until all starch particles are gelatinized. The gelatinized tubersare blended to a thick paste by any conventional means. Separately, 5.25g malanga flour is combined with 28.4 g water and heated to boilingpoint for sufficient time to produce a thick, gelatinized paste. Thegelatinized paste is combined with the cooked tuber paste by anyconventional mixing technique until well blended. The mixture is theconsistency of pudding, and with the addition of no other ingredientshas a pleasant, sweet taste. This is not to preclude the use of otheringredients commonly used as ingredients in pudding such as eggs, milk,conventional flours, oil, sweeteners, flavorants, spices, seasonings, ofany kind in this invention.

Alternatively, combine 84.2 g malanga flour and 453 g water, heat theresultant mixture by any conventional means with stirring until themixture is very thick and completely gelatinized. Place in high speedblending device and blend at highest setting for at least 5 minutes. Add25 g oil and blend again for 1-2 minutes.

EXAMPLE 78 Malanga Flour

Peel malanga under running water, also removing any spots and/orundersirable areas, then free of excess water, dip briefly in distilledwater, again remove excess do not soak. Shred to desired size, place onglass or metal trays; air dry at 63° C. (145° F.) for 8-12 hours,preferably 10 hours. Comminute shreds with any desired technique thatutilizes most of the fiber, 100% utilization is preferred, to produce aflour product that is a fine flour of relatively uniform particle sizedistribution.

EXAMPLE 79 Cooked Malanga Flour

Malanga or other tubers are processed by the method of Example 78, withthe added step of partially or completely gelatinizing the tubers as aseparate step or in combination with other process steps.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 80 Yam Bread

Place 453 g yam flour in a suitable conventional mixing device. Slowlyadd 623 g water and 3.25 g salt while mixing at lowest speed. When wellblended mix, at highest speed for about 1 minute. Stir in 47 g bakingpowder; then mix at high speed for 15 seconds. As fast as possible pourinto baking pan. Carefully place in oven heated to 218° C. (425° F.) andbake for 50 minutes. The amount of water needed varies with the moisturecontent and particle size of the flour. More coarse flour and/or flourwith a lower moisture content will require more water. The resultant yambread product may be used in any way wheat bread is used.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 81 Yam Imitation Cornbread

Ingredients: 304.8 g yam flour, 453 g water, 23.6 g yam baking powder,6.5 g salt, 12.5 g oil. Combine above ingredients with baking powderadded last; mix well, at highest speed with conventional mixingequipment until well blended and uniform consistency, about 1 minute.Transfer quickly into suitable baking container and bake 20-25 minutesat 218° C. (425° F.). Alternatively, the following proportions may beused in an imitation cornbread with honey or other liquid sweetener: 343g yam flour, 396.4 g water, 6.5 g salt, 75 g honey, 23.6 g yam bakingpowder, 12.5 g oil.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 82 Yam Cake Dough

343 9 yam flour, 396.4 g water, 90 g honey, 35 g oil, 35.4 g suitableleavening agent, may be combined in the processes described in Example81. Dough may be baked as described in Example 81, prior to baking orafter, the cake dough may be prepared or finished with any desiredcombinations of conventional ingredients including but not limited toother flours, extenders, binders, fillers, preserving agents,sweeteners, flavorings, seasonings, eggs, milk, nuts, and so forth.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 83 Yam Muffins

Combine 343 g yam flour, 453 g water, 6.5 g salt, 12.5 g oil, 23.6 g yambaking powder and mix well, at high speed with conventional techniquesof the art until smooth and well blended. Add baking powder and mixwell. Pour quickly or transfer by other means into suitable bakingequipment. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 218° C. (425° F.).

EXAMPLE NUMBER 84 Yam Pancakes

The following ingredients: 169.9 g frozen cooked yam flour, maintainedat freezing point 453 g rapidly boiling water, 0.5 g salt, 37.5 g oil,and 12 g yam baking powder, with baking powder added in after water,salt and oil are combined and mixed well on highest speed, preferably 5minutes in high speed blending device. Batter may be transferred tosuitable baking or frying device, device to be prepared as required bythe art, preheated on medium-high heat. Dough may be cooked in sizesranging from dot sizes to several feet across. Turn when top surface hasturned dull and the bottom surface is golden brown in color. When honeyor other liquid sweetener is used, the ingredients: 169.9 g yam flour,453 g water, 0.5 g salt, 37.5 g honey, 25 g oil, 12 g yam baking powder,may be used in the process described above.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 85 Yam Pancake Mix

To provide an example of a dry mix-type product, yam pancake mix isused. A yam pancake mix product can be made by combining ingredients:453 g flour, 87 g salt, and 10.7 g yam baking powder. Mix ingredientswell in a rolling ball mill or other conventional means to form a drymix. Pancakes can be made from this dry mix by the addition of water andwater/oil mixtures. Alternatively, by conventions of the art, thepancake mix oils may also be added to the above ingredient mix toproduce a dry mix that contains oils. Also, sweeteners, flavors,seasonings, binders, fillers, and so forth may be utilized in theproduction of yam pancake mixes.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 86 Yam Pizza Dough

The batters described in Example 84 may also be used as a pizza dough.Prepare batter as described above, pour dough onto pizza pan. Place inoven and bake at 218° C. (425° F.) until dough is almost done but stilltacky on the top, about 20 minutes. Add any desired ingredients, variousmeats, vegetables, spices, and other materials common to the art. Bakeuntil dough is completely done and ingredients thoroughly cooked, about10 minutes. Alternatively, the topping can be placed on the batterbefore cooking begins, or after cooking ends. Alternatively, the doughdescribed for pie crust, Example 94, may be used as a pizza dough. Thedough is prepared as described in the example, the dough is rolled outto the desired length, width, and thickness, toppings of any kind areadded and the mixture is baked at 177° C. (350° F.) for 10-30 minutes.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 87 Yam Waffles

The following ingredients are combined by the method described above inExample 84: 304.8 g yam flour, 509.6 g water, 6.5 g salt, 50 g oil, 3.6g yam baking powder. Pour batter into waffle iron or other suitablemolding or shaping device preheated to 149°-260° C. (300°-500° F.).Watch for steam coming from the waffle iron as the waffles cook. Leavewaffle iron closed as long as steam can be seen rising from the waffleiron. When steam stops, all water has been baked out of the batter andwaffles are done, 5-10 minutes or more. When done the waffles should begolden brown in color.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 88 Yam French Toast

Combine 226.5 g water and 21.2 g flour. Heat by any desired conventionto form a thick paste. Coat pieces of yam bread. Fry to slightly brownedand crusty in lightly greased griddle or skillet preheated to mediumhigh. Alternatively combine 21.2 g flour, 3.25 g salt, and 226.5 g waterand mix until smooth and homogenous. Heat by any desired conventionuntil mixture is well gelatinized and thickened. Stir in 50 g oil. Pourmixture into high speed blending device; while blending at high speed,slowly drop in ground meat or other protein source and blend until meatis completely comminuted and liquefied. Coat pieces of yam bread. Fry toslightly browned and crusty in lightly greased griddle or skilletpreheated to medium high. Alternatively french toast batter may beprepared by the method as described above without cooking theflour/water mixture. French toast batter may be used for manycombinations with yam bread crumbs and many other coating materials oralone.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 89 Yam Cookies

Combine and mix well on highest speed 1-10 minutes, preferably 2-3minutes: 339.75 g yam flour, 453 g rapidly boiling water, 0.6 g salt,125 g oil, 12 g yam baking powder. Form into cookie shapes by theconventional art. Bake at 204° C. (400° F.) on ungreased surface for8-10 minutes, or until a light golden brown on the underside.Alternatively, add toppings as desired to the unbaked or baked dough.Any desired fruit, nut, flavors, seasonings of the conventional art mayalso be used. When a liquid sweetener or honey is used, the followingingredients are combined as described above: 339.75 g frozen yam flour,453 g rapidly boiling water, 0.6 g salt, 75 g honey, 100 g oil, 12 g yambaking powder.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 90 Yam Doughnuts, Pretzels, Hush Puppies, Doughnut Holes

From batter prepared in the method of Example 84, extrude batter througha doughnut press or any other desired device in rings onto hot oil;batter may also be dropped in balls, long pieces, even pretzel shapes.Temperature of the oil should be about 149°-260° C. (300°-500° F.). Ifthe oil is hot enough the dough will float at the top of the oil. Frydoughnuts or other shapes until golden brown on all sides. Remove fromoil, drain. Serve plain or top with fruit, honey, nuts, coconut, peanutbutter, etc. Alternatively, doughnuts may be prepartions of conventionalingredients including but not limited to: other flours, extenders,binders, fillers, preserving agents, flavorings, seasonings, eggs, milk,and so forth.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 91 Yam Dumplings

Combine 152.4 g yam flour, 226.5 g water, 4.9 g salt, 12 g yam bakingpowder until smooth and creamy. Let dough set for about 15 minutes. Dropteaspoon-sized portions of batter into about 2 liters of rapidly boilingwater or broth, may be thickened. Allow to remain in boiling water 2-6minutes, preferably 5 minutes. If dumplings remain in boiling brothlonger, dumplings will dissolve. When done, dumplings will be light andtender on the inside.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 92 Yam Batter

A batter prepared by the method of Example 84 may be used as batter fordeep frying and for fondue cooking techniques. Coat vegetables, fruit,or cooked meat in batter and deep fry in hot oil (preheated tomedium-high heat). If the oil is hot enough the dough should float atthe top of the oil. Test for proper temperature with a small ball ofdough.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 93 Yam Crepes

In yet another embodiment of the batter prepared in Example 84, thebatter may be used to make a crepe-like product. The batter may bediluted by the addition of 10-400 g water, preferably 100 g to make acrepe-like product. The batter is spread in very thin layers on acooking surface, and prepared according to the accepted convention.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 94 Yam Pie Crust

Mix thoroughly, 169.9 g yam flour, 50 g oil, 85.2 g water. Shape intoround, flat dough ball. By any conventional means, shape intoappropriate dimensions for pie crust. Preferably, place betweencellophane or wax paper sheets before rolling out dough. This dough isalso very well suited to shaping in a mold; it can be reshaped manytimes without becoming hard and leathery. Yam pie crust may be used as adouble or single crust pie, with any type of filling, including meat(eg, chicken pot pie) or fruit filling. For a baked pie crust, bake for10 minutes at 177° C. (350° F.).

Although above ingredients are preferred, yam flour may be used withshortening or lard and any other conventional ingredients. For example,when using lard, use about 100 g and decrease water to 10-14 g. Doughwill seem stiff and hard, but will be just right after baking.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 95 Yam Tortillas, Chips

Mix 169.9 g yam flour with 85 g boiling water; knead until well blendedand very thick. By any desired conventional means achieve the shapes andsizes of tortillas or chips, bake at 177° C. (350° F.) for 10 minutes.When fried without oil, heat on medium high heat until slightly brownedon both sides; turn as needed. When fried in hot oil, fry until crisp.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 96 Yam Pretzels

Doughs produced by the processes described in Examples 94 and 95 may beused in processes of shaping to form pretzels of various sizes, coatingwith oil (optional), cooking by various processes of the art includingbut not limited to baking, and drying to produce pretzels of varyingsizes.

EXAMPLE 97 Yam Imitation Nut Butter

453 grams of yam flour are placed into any blending equipment suitablefor mixing very thick doughs at very high speeds, to which is added150-200 g edible fatty material, such as vegetable oils (preferred forhypoallergenic products) but could also include other fatty materials.The materials are throughly mixed for about 2 minutes or until theentire mixture is well blended, and the consistency of nut butter. Afterseveral weeks of storage oil and flour will begin to separate, but isrecombined very easily.

Alternatively, the mixture may be heated until the yam flour ispartially gelatinized to produce an imitation nut butter that separatesless easily.

EXAMPLE 98 Yam Imitation Mayonnaise

Combine 53.1 g yam flour, and 453 g cold water until well blended.Continue stirring, while maintaining temperature at 50° to 150° C.,until mixture is completely gelatinized and thickened. Place mixture inconventional higspeed blending device; add 200 g oil, and optional: 21.3g lemon juice, vinegar, or ascorbic acid solution. Mix materials onhighest speed until well blended, smooth, and uniform consistency.Mayonnaise will thicken as it cools.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 99 Yam Milk

Combine 906 g water and 169.9 g yam cooked flour, and 12.5 g oil, mixthoroughly. Blend 1-30 minutes at highest speeds, preferably 4 minutes.May be strained if flour not sufficiently fine.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 100 Yam Milk Shake

Combine 76.2 g flour and 226.5 g water in suitable mixing and heatingapparatus. As mixture approaches boiling point, increase revolutions perminute. Continue rapid stirring while boiling for about 5 minutes. Whenthoroughly gelatinized, very thick, and smooth, cool to 10° C. (50° F.)or lower, preferably 2° C. (35° F.). In high speed blending device,combine gelatinized mixture, 12.5 g oil, 76.2 g yam flour, and 226.5 gcrushed ice. Blend well at speeds high enough to partially freezemixture as ice particles become crushed and fine to form a thick slurrythe consistency of a milk shake. The above milk shake-like productwithout further embodiments has a very pleasant taste, although anydesired combination of fruits, nuts, sweeteners, flavorings, seasonings,spices, fillers, extenders, binders, and so forth may also be added tothe product.

Alternatively, the milk shake-like product may be formed by 152.4 gflour, 453 g water and 12.5 g oil (1/2 water and flour still cooked asdescribed above) under conditions of simultaneous freezing and mixing toform a milk shake-like slurry without adding crushed ice. Similarlyother methods of the art may be used to produce the frozen slurry.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 101 Yam Ice Cream

The milk shake-like product described in Example 100 may be used as abase for ice cream products. The above slurry is subjected to freezingfrom 0° C.(32° F.) to -34° C. (-30° F.) or lower, preferably -29° C. to-18° C. (-20° F. to 0° F.), until product attains this temperature.Frozen mixture is then comminuted, and placed in high speed blendingequipment and blended at highest speeds until well mixed, smooth, andcreamy. Freezing, comminuting and mixing cycles may be repeated asdesired, 2 such cycles are preferred. Additional embodiments describedin Example 100 may also be used in this example.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 102 Yam Noodles

Using conventional equipment for kneading thick dough, combine 453 gfrozen flour from cooked tubers and 453 g boiling water. Knead welluntil dough is well mixed and forms soft doughy clumps. Extrude tovarious shapes of macaroni, fettucine, spaghetti, lasagna and the like.Cut to desired lengths, dry by any conventional means, preferably airdrying on trays, conveyors or the like. Dough may be used to make anypasta product common in the art including but not limited to ravioli,Chinese-style meat filled noodle dumplings, and other meat-filledproducts.

Alternatively a small amount of flour and water, preferably 20 g yamflour and 120 g water may be cooked to a thick paste and added to theabove mixture. In another alternative process, prior to extruding, theflour mixture described above which may or may not be simultaneouslykneaded, may be maintained at temperatures above 50° C. for 2-30minutes, preferably 2-5 minutes at 95° C. to gelatinize part of all ofthe dough.

When cooking, immerse noodles in boiling water for 30 seconds. Any othercooking techniques of the art may also be used. Noodles may be used inany type pasta dish--soups, stews, pasta and sauce dishes, and the like.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 103 Yam Crackers

In any suitable machine for mixing heavy doughs, combine 453 g flour ofcooked yam flour, 6.5 g salt, 75 g oil, and 23.6 g baking powder. By anyconventional means, including but not limited to molding, rolling,cutting, extruding, and the like, shape into desired shapes. Coat with avery thin film of oil, sprinkling with salt. Heat to 177° C. (350° F.)for 20 minutes. Otherwise, cook by any convention of the art, includingbaking, frying and the like. Alternatively, omit oil, or oil and salt,increasing water by 30 grams.

EXAMPLE 104 Yam Pudding

Combine equal parts of cooked, mashed yam paste and water, using 113.25g each. The method forming the paste involves processes of cooking andpureeing by any conventional means including but not limited to steamheat, boiling and pressure cooking. The preferred method involvessubjecting the peeled or unpeeled raw tubers, peeled tubers arepreferred, to application of steam until all starch particles aregelatinized. The gelatinized tubers are blended to a thick paste by anyconventional means. Separately 5.3 g yam flour is combined with 28.2 gwater and heated to boiling point for 5 minutes to produce a thickgelatinized paste. The gelatinized paste is combined with the cookedtuber and water mixture by any conventional mixing technique until wellblended. The mixture is the consistency of pudding, and with theaddition of no other ingredients has a pleasant, sweet taste. This isnot to preclude the use of other ingredients commonly used asingredients in pudding such as eggs, milk, conventional flours, oil,sweeteners, flavorants, spices, seasonings, of any kind in thisinvention.

Alternatively, 226 g water and 21.2 g flour may be heated until starchymaterials are gelatinized, and pureed with conventional techniques untilsmooth and well blended. Cool to 0°-20° C., preferably 5°-10° C., whenforms pudding consistency.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 105 Uncooked Flour of Yam

Peel yam tubers and pulverize, comminute, puree, or otherwise prepareyams for dehydration which is accomplished by low temperature techniquessuch as freeze drying or vacuum-drying techniques. The dried tubers arecomminuted in a shear mill or the like to a fine flour by freezing thedried tubers or tuber pieces, and substantially into a fine flour inshort pulses, so as to avoid heating the flour high enough to cause astrong flavor or bitter taste. Many other techniques for comminuting arepossible. The whole or shredded, peeled tuber is incorporated into theflour, including most fibrous material, preferably 100% of the fiber, toproduce a flour product that is a fine flour of relatively uniformparticle size distribution.

EXAMPLE 106 Flour of Cooked Tubers of Yam

The tubers are peeled, and the like while being held under runningwater. They are then rinsed in distilled water, cut into cubes of anysize, preferably 5 cm×5 cm×5 cm (2×2×2 inches), and subjected to heatwith steam until thoroughly gelatinized. The tubers are then trimmed toremove all black, grey, or otherwise discolored sections, shredded, anddried by low temperature means.

The dried product is then comminuted to flours of various particle sizedistribution in any conventional grinding process that does not elevatethe flour temperature above 100° C. Preferably, the entire tuber isground including fibrous particles.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 107 Amaranth Bread

Place 560.4 g amaranth flour in a suitable conventional mixing device.Slowly add 226.5 g water, 3.25 g salt, and 100 g oil while mixing atlowest speed. When well blended mix, at highest speed for about 1minute. Stir in 47 g baking powder; then mix at high speed for 15seconds. Dough will be very stiff. Carefully place in oven heated to218° C. (425° F.) and bake for 35 minutes. The amount of water neededvaries with the moisture content and particle size of the flour. Morecoarse flour and/or flour with a lower moisture content will requiremore water. The resultant amaranth bread product may be used in any waywheat bread is used.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 108 Amaranth Imitation Cornbread

Ingredients: 560.4 g amaranth flour, 226.5 g water, 47 g amaranth bakingpowder, 3.25 g salt, 100 g oil. Combine above ingredients with bakingpowder added last; mix well, at highest speed with conventional mixingequipment until well blended and uniform consistency, about 1 minute.Transfer quickly into suitable baking container and bake 20-25 minutesat 218° C. (425° F.). Alternatively, the following proportions may beused in an imitation cornbread with honey or other liquid sweetener:560.4 g amaranth flour, 226.5 g water, 3.25 g salt, 75 g honey, 47 gamaranth baking powder, 50 g oil.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 109 Amaranth Cake Dough

560.4 g amaranth flour, 226.5 g water, 90 g honey, 35 g oil, 47 gsuitable leavening agent, may be combined in the processes described inExample 108. Dough may be baked as described in Example 108, prior tobaking or after, the cake dough may be prepared or finished with anydesired combinations of conventional ingredients including but notlimited to other flours, extenders, binders, fillers, preserving agents,sweeteners, flavorings, seasonings, eggs, milk, nuts, and so forth.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 110 Amaranth Muffins

Combine 560.4 g amaranth flour, 226.5 g water, 3.25 g salt 100 g oil,and mix well, at high speed with conventional techniques of the artuntil smooth and well blended. Add 47 g baking powder and mix well. Pourquickly or transfer by other means into suitable baking equipment. Bakefor 20-35 minutes at 218° C. (425° F.).

EXAMPLE NUMBER 111 Amaranth Pancakes

The following ingredients: 280.3 g amaranth flour, 226.5 g water, 6.5 gsalt, 50 g oil, 16 g amaranth baking powder, are combined and mixed wellon highest speed, preferably 1-2 minutes in high speed blending device.Batter may be transferred to suitable baking or frying device, device tobe prepared as required by the art, preheated on medium-high heat. Doughmay be cooked in sizes ranging from dot sizes to several feet across.Turn when top surface has turned dull and the bottom surface is goldenbrown in color. When honey or other liquid sweetener is used, theingredients: 280.3 g amaranth flour, 226.5 g water, 6.5 g salt, 37.5 ghoney, 25 g oil, 16 g amaranth baking powder, may be used in the processdescibed above.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 112 Amaranth Pancake Mix

To provide an example of a dry mix-type product, amaranth pancake mix isused. An amaranth pancake mix product can be made by combiningingredients: 560.4 g flour, 8.7 g salt, and 10.7 g amaranth bakingpowder. Mix ingredients well in a rolling ball mill or otherconventional means to form a dry mix. Pancakes can be made from this drymix by the addition of water and water/oil mixtures.

Alternatively, by conventions of the art, the pancake mix oils may alsobe added to the above ingredient mix to produce a dry mix that containsoils. Also, sweeteners, flavors, seasonings, binders, fillers, and soforth may be utilized in the production of amaranth pancake mixes.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 113 Amaranth Waffles

The following ingredients are combined by the method described above inExample 111: 140.1 g amaranth flour, 85 g water, 16 g salt, 12.5 g oil,4 g amaranth baking powder. Pour batter into waffle iron or othersuitable molding or shaping device preheated to 149°-260° C. (300°-500°F.). Watch for steam coming from the waffle iron as the waffles cook.Leave waffle iron closed as long as steam can be seen rising from thewaffle iron. When steam stops, all water has been baked out of thebatter and waffles are done, 5-10 minutes or more. When done the wafflesshould be golden brown in color.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 114 Amaranth French Toast

Combine 52.6 g flour, 3.25 g salt, and 226.5 g water and mix untilsmooth and homogenous. Heat by any desired convention until mixture iswell gelatinized and thickened. Stir in 50 g oil. Pour mixture into highspeed blending device; while blending at high speed, slowly drop inground meat or other protein source and blend until meat is completelycomminuted and liquified, or cook 226.5 g water and 17.5 g flour by anyconventional method until gelatinized. Coat pieces of amaranth bread.Fry to slightly browned and crusty in lightly greased griddle or skilletpreheated to medium high. Alternatively french toast batter may beprepared by the method as described above without cooking theflour/water mixture. French toast batter may be used for manycombinations with amaranth bread crumbs and many other coating materialsor alone.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 115 Amaranth Cookies

Combine and mix well by the conventional art: 560.6 g amaranth flour,226.5 g water, 1.6 g salt, 100 g oil, 16 g amaranth baking powder. Forminto cookie shapes by the conventional art. Bake at 177° C. (350° F.) onungreased surface for 10-15 minutes, or until a light golden brown onthe underside. Alternatively, add toppings as desired to the unbaked orbaked dough. Any desired fruit, nut, flavors, seasonings of theconventional art may also be used. When a liquid sweetener or honey isused, the following ingredients are combined as described above: 560.6 gamaranth flour, 226.5 g water, 6.5 g salt, 75 g honey, 50 g oil, 16 gamaranth baking powder.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 116 Amaranth Doughnuts, Pretzels, Hush Puppies, DoughnutHoles

From batter prepared in the method of Example 111, extrude batterthrough a doughnut press or any other desired device in rings onto hotoil; batter may also be dropped in balls, long pieces, even pretzelshapes. Temperature of the oil should be about 149°-260° C. (300°-500°F.). If the oil is hot enough the dough will float at the top of theoil. Fry doughnuts or other shapes until golden brown on all sides.Remove from oil, drain. Serve plain or top with fruit, honey, nuts,coconut, peanut butter, etc. Alternatively, doughnuts may be prepartionsof conventional ingredients including but not limited to: other flours,extenders, binders, fillers, preserving agents, flavorings, seasonings,eggs, milk, and so forth.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 117 Amaranth Dumplings

Combine 140.1 g amaranth flour, 56.8 g water, 16 g amaranth bakingpowder, and 50 g oil, until smooth and creamy. Let dough set for about15 minutes. Drop teaspoon-sized portions of batter into about 2 litersof rapidly boiling water or broth, may be thickened. Allow to remain inboiling water 1-2 minutes, preferably 11/2 minutes. If dumplings remainin boiling broth longer, dumplings will dissolve. When done, dumplingswill be light and tender on the inside.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 118 Amaranth Batter

A batter prepared by the method of Example 111 may be used as batter fordeep frying and for fondue cooking techniques. Coat vegetables, fruit,or cooked meat in batter and deep fry in hot oil (preheated tomedium-high heat). If the oil is hot enough the dough should float atthe top of the oil. Test for proper temperature with a small ball ofdough.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 119 Amaranth Crepes

In yet another embodiment of the batter prepared in Example 111, thebatter may be used to make a crepe-like product. The batter may bediluted by the addition of 10-400 g water, preferably 100 g to make acrepe-like product. The batter is spread in very thin layers on acooking surface, and prepared according to the accepted convention.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 120 Amaranth Pie Crust

Mix thoroughly, 140.1 g amaranth flour, 50 g oil, 56.8 g water. Shapeinto round, flat dough ball. By any conventional means, shape intoappropriate dimensions for pie crust. Preferably, place betweencellophane or wax paper sheets before rolling out dough. This dough isalso very well suited to shaping in a mold; it can be reshaped manytimes without becoming hard and leathery. Amaranth pie crust may be usedas a double or single crust pie, with any type of filling, includingmeat (eg, chicken pot pie) or fruit filling. For a baked pie crust, bakefor 10 minutes at 177° C. (350° F.).

Although above ingredients is preferred, amaranth flour may be used withshortening or lard and any other conventional ingredients. For example,when using lard, use about 100 g and decrease water to 10-14 g. Doughwill seem stiff and hard, but will be just right after baking.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 121 Amaranth Tortillas, Chips

Mix 140.1 g amaranth flour with 85.2 g water; knead until well blendedand very thick. By any desired conventional means achieve the shapes andsizes of tortillas or chips. May be fried with or without oil, or baked.When fried without oil, heat on medium high heat until slightly brownedon both sides; turn as needed. When fried in hot oil, fry until crisp.Alternatively, bake by conventional means until crisp.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 122 Amaranth Pretzels

Doughs produced by the processes described in Examples 120 and 121 maybe used in processes of shaping to form pretzels of various sizes,coating with oil

EXAMPLE 123 Amaranth Imitation Nut Butter

560.4 grams of amaranth flour are placed into any blending equipmentsuitable for mixing very thick doughs at very high speeds, to which isadded 150-200 g edible fatty material, such as vegetable oils (preferredfor hypoallergenic products) but could also include other fattymaterials. The materials are throughly mixed for about 2 minutes oruntil the entire mixture is well blended, and the consistency of peanutbutter. After several weeks of storage oil and flour will begin toseparate, but is recombined very easily. Alternatively, the mixture maybe heated until the amaranth flour is partially gelatinized to producean imitation nut butter that separates less easily.

EXAMPLE 124 Amaranth Imitation Mayonnaise

Combine 140.1 g amaranth flour, 3.25 g salt, and 170.4 g cold water in apan and heat until thick while maintaining temperature at 50° to 150°C., until mixture is completely gelatinized and thickened. Place mixturein conventional high speed blending device; add 200 g oil, (optional:21.3 g lemon juice, vinegar, or ascorbic acid solution). Mix materialson highest speed until well blended, smooth, and uniform consistency.Mayonnaise will thicken as it cools.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 125 Amaranth Milk

Combine 906 g water and 140.1 g amaranth flour, 12.5 g oil. Blendtogether in any high speed blending device. Blend 1-30 minutes athighest speeds, preferably 4 minutes. May be strained if flour notsufficiently fine.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 126 Amaranth Noodles

Using conventional equipment for kneading thick dough, combine 560.4 9flour and 226.5 g water. Knead well until dough is well mixed and formssoft doughy clumps. Extrude to various shapes of macaroni, fettucine,spaghetti, lasagna and the like. Cut to desired lengths, dry by anyconventional means, preferably air drying on trays, conveyors or thelike. Dough may be used to make any pasta product common in the artincluding but not limited to ravioli, Chinese-style meat filled noodledumplings, and other meat-filled products.

Alternatively a small amount of flour and water, preferably 20 gamaranth flour and 120 g water may be cooked to a thick paste and addedto the above mixture.

In another alternative process, prior to extruding, the flour mixturedescribed above which may or may not be simultaneously kneaded, may bemaintained at temperatures above 50° C. for 2-30 minutes, preferably 2-5minutes at 95° C. to gelatinize part of all of the dough.

When cooking, immerse noodles in boiling water for 2-10 minutesdepending on width of noodles. Any other cooking techniques of the artmay also be used. Noodles may be used in any type pasta dish--soups,stews, pasta and sauce dishes, and the like.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 127 Amaranth Crackers

In any suitable machine for mixing heavy doughs, combine 560.4 gamaranth flour, 226.5 g water, 6.5 g salt, 75 g oil, and 23.6 g bakingpowder. By any conventional means, including but not limited to molding,rolling, cutting, extruding, and the like, shape into desired shapes.Coat with a very thin film of oil, sprinkling with salt. Heat to 350° F.for 20-25 minutes. Otherwise, cook by any convention of the art,including baking, frying and the like. Alternatively, omit oil, or oiland salt, increasing water by 30 grams.

EXAMPLE 128 Amaranth Pudding

Combine 226.5 g water, 70.1 g flour--cook in any conventional heatingapparatus until mixture is gelatinized. Put in a high speed blender andblend until very smooth, about 5 minutes. Add 25 g oil, cool.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 129 Amaranth Flour

Comminute amaranth seeds by any desired technique or combination oftechniques common to the art to produce a meal. The meal is furtherground, in as many repetitions and by such techniques as needed tocomminute the meal to a flour of relatively uniform, fine particle sizewith most and preferably all of the seed incorporated into the flour.

EXAMPLE 130 Cooked Amaranth Flour

100 g amaranth seed, meal, or flour is combined with 1000 g water andheated to about 200° F. for about 4 hours, with water added as necessaryto form a soft, gelatinized mass. The mass is subjected to methods ofpureeing, pulping, comminuting, pulverizing and the like to form asmooth, homogenous fluid or paste. This mixture is dried by suitablemeans of the art and comminuted to form a fine powder.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 131 Lotus Bread

Place 453 g lotus flour in a suitable conventional mixing device. Slowlyadd 679,5 g water and while mixing at lowest speed. When well blendedmix, at highest speed for about 1 minute. Stir in 35.4 g baking powder;then mix at high speed for 15 seconds. As fast as possible pour intobaking pan. Carefully place in oven heated to 400° F. and bake for 60minutes. The amount of water needed varies with the moisture content andparticle size of the flour. More coarse flour and/or flour with a lowermoisture content will require more water. The resultant lotus breadproduct may be used in any way wheat bread is used.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 132 Lotus Imitation Cornbread

Ingredients: 453 g lotus flour, 679.5 g water, 35.4 9 lotus bakingpowder. Combine above ingredients with baking powder added last; mixwell, at highest speed with conventional mixing equipment until wellblended and uniform consistency, about 1 minute. Transfer quickly intosuitable baking container and bake 30-40 minutes at 425° F.Alternatively, the following proportions may be used in an imitationcornbread with honey or other liquid sweetener: 453 9 lotus flour, 679.5g water, 75 g honey, 35.4 g lotus leavening agent.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 133 Lotus Cake Dough

343 g lotus flour, 396.4 g water, 90 g honey, 35 g oil, 35.4 g suitableleavening agent, may be combined in the processes described in Example132. Dough may be baked as described in Example 132, prior to baking orafter, the cake dough may be prepared or finished with any desiredcombinations of conventional ingredients including but not limited toother flours, extenders, binders, fillers, preserving agents,sweeteners, flavorings, seasonings, eggs, milk, nuts, and so forth.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 134 Lotus Muffins

Combine 362.4 g lotus flour, 453 g water, 6.5 g salt, 75 g oil, and mixwell, at high speed with conventional techniques of the art until smoothand well blended. Add 8 g leavening agent and mix well. Pour quickly ortransfer by other means into suitable baking equipment. Bake for 20-25minutes at 425° F.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 135 Lotus Pancakes

The following ingredients: 362.4 g lotus flour, 453 9 water, 6.5 g salt,75 g oil, are combined and mixed well on highest speed, preferably 1-2minutes in high speed blending device. Put 8 g lotus leavening agent inlast and mix again. Batter may he transferred to suitable baking orfrying device, device to be prepared as required by the art, preheatedon medium-high heat. Dough may be cooked in sizes ranging from dot sizesto several feet across. Turn when top surface has turned dull and thebottom surface is golden brown in color. When honey or other liquidsweetener is used, the ingredients: 362.4 g lotus flour, 453 g water,6.5 g salt, 75 g honey, 50 g oil, 8 g lotus leavening agent, may be usedin the process descibed above.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 136 Lotus Pancake Mix

To provide an example of a dry mix-type product, lotus pancake mix isused. A lotus pancake mix product can be made by combining ingredients:362.4 g flour, 8.7 g salt, and 10.7 g lotus baking powder. Mixingredients well in a rolling ball mill or other conventional means toform a dry mix. Pancakes can be made from this dry mix by the additionof water and water/oil mixtures. Alternatively, by conventions of theart, the pancake mix oils may also be added to the above ingredient mixto produce a dry mix that contains oils. Also, sweeteners, flavors,seasonings, binders, fillers, and so forth may be utilized in theproduction of lotus pancake mixes.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 137 Lotus Pizza Dough

The batters described in Example 135 may also be used as a pizza dough.Prepare batter as described above, pour dough onto pizza pan. Place inoven and bake at 425 degrees until dough is almost done but still tackyon the top, about 20 minutes. Add any desired ingredients, variousmeats, vegetables, spices, and other materials common to the art. Bakeuntil dough is completely done and ingredients thoroughly cooked, about10 minutes. Alternatively, the topping can be placed on the batterbefore cooking begins, or after cooking ends. Alternatively, the doughdescribed for pie crust, Example 145, may be used as a pizza dough. Thedough is prepared as described in the example, the dough is rolled outto the desired length, width, and thickness, toppings of any kind areadded and the mixture is baked at 350° F. for 10-30 minutes.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 138 Lotus Waffles

The following ingredients are combined by the method described above inExample 135: 362.4 g lotus flour, 453 g water, 6.5 g salt, 75 g oil, 8 glotus leavening agent. Pour batter into waffle iron or other suitablemolding or shaping device preheated to 300°-500° F. Watch for steamcoming from the waffle iron as the waffles cook. Leave waffle ironclosed as long as steam can be seen rising from the waffle iron. Whensteam stops, all water has been baked out of the batter and waffles aredone, 5-10 minutes or more. When done the waffles should be golden brownin color.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 139 Lotus French Toast

Combine 22.7 g flour, 3.25 g salt, and 226.5 g water and mix untilsmooth and homogenous. Heat by any desired convention until mixture iswell gelatinized and thickened. Stir in 50 g oil. Pour mixture into highspeed blending device; while blending at high speed, slowly drop inground meat or other protein source and blend until meat is completelycomminuted and liquified or use 226.5 g water and 22.7 g lotus flourthat have been cooked until thick. Coat pieces of lotus bread. Fry toslightly browned and crusty in lightly greased griddle or skilletpreheated to medium high. Alternatively french toast batter may beprepared by the method as described above without cooking theflour/water mixture. French toast batter may be used for manycombinations with lotus bread crumbs and many other coating materials oralone.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 140 Lotus Cookies

Combine and mix well by the conventional art: 724.8 g lotus flour, 226.5g water, 26 g salt, 300 g oil, 29.7 g lotus baking powder. Form intocookie shapes by the conventional art. Bake at 350° F. on ungreasedsurface for 10 minutes, or until a light golden brown on the underside.Alternatively, add toppings as desired to the unbaked or baked dough.Any desired fruit, nut, flavors, seasonings of the conventional art mayalso be used. When a liquid sweetener or honey is used, the followingingredients are combined as described above: 724.8 g lotus flour, 226.5g water, 26 g salt, 75 g honey, 100 g oil, 29.7 g lotus leavening agent.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 141 Lotus Doughnuts, Pretzels, Hush Puppies, DoughnutHoles

From batter prepared in the method of Example 135, extrude batterthrough a doughnut press or any other desired device in rings onto hotoil; batter may also be dropped in balls, long pieces, even pretzelshapes. Temperature of the oil should be about 300-500 degrees. If theoil is hot enough the dough will float at the top of the oil. Frydoughnuts or other shapes until golden brown on all sides. Remove fromoil, drain. Serve plain or top with fruit, honey, nuts, coconut, peanutbutter, etc. Alternatively, doughnuts may be prepartions of conventionalingredients including but not limited to: other flours, extenders,binders, fillers, preserving agents, flavorings, seasonings, eggs, milk,and so forth.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 142 Lotus Dumplings

Combine 362.4 g lotus flour, 453 g water, 6.5 g salt, 8 g lotusleavening agent until smooth and creamy. Let dough set for about 15minutes. Drop teaspoon-sized portions of batter into about 2 liters ofrapidly boiling water or broth, may be thickened. Allow to remain inboiling water 10 minutes. If dumplings remain in boiling broth longer,dumplings will dissolve. When done, dumplings will be light and tenderon the inside.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 143 Lotus Batter

A batter prepared by the method of Example 135 may be used as batter fordeep frying and for fondue cooking techniques. Coat vegetables, fruit,or cooked meat in batter and deep fry in hot oil (preheated tomedium-high heat). If the oil is hot enough the dough should float atthe top of the oil. Test for proper temperature with a small ball ofdough.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 144 Lotus Crepes

In yet another embodiment of the batter prepared in Example 135, thebatter may be used to make a crepe-like product. The batter may bediluted by the addition of 10-400 g water, preferably 100 g to make acrepe-like product. The batter is spread in very thin layers on acooking surface, and prepared according to the accepted convention.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 145 Lotus Pie Crust

Mix thoroughly, 181.2 g lotus flour, 50 g oil, 85.2 g boiling water.Shape into round, flat dough ball. By any conventional means, shape intoappropriate dimensions for pie crust. Preferably, place betweencellophane or wax paper sheets before rolling out dough. This dough isalso very well suited to shaping in a mold; it can be reshaped manytimes without becoming hard and leathery. lotus pie crust may be used asa double or single crust pie, with any type of filling, including meat(eg, chicken pot pie) or fruit filling. For a baked pie crust, bake for10 minutes at 350° F.

Although above ingredients is preferred, lotus flour may be used withshortening or lard and any other conventional ingredients. For example,when using lard, use about 100 9 and decrease water to 10-14 g. Doughwill seem stiff and hard, but will be just right after baking.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 146 Lotus Tortillas, Chips

Mix 181.2 g lotus flour with 142 g boiling water; knead until wellblended and very thick. By any desired conventional means achieve theshapes and sizes of tortillas or chips. May be fried with or withoutoil, or baked. When fried without oil, heat on medium high heat untilslightly browned on both sides; turn as needed. When fried in hot oil,fry until crisp. Alternatively, bake by conventional means until crisp.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 147 Lotus Pretzels

Doughs produced by the processes described in Examples 145 and 146 maybe used in processes of shaping to form pretzels of various sizes,coating with oil (optional), cooking by various processes of the artincluding but not limited to baking, frying, and drying to producepretzels of varying sizes.

EXAMPLE 148 Lotus Imitation Nut Butter

453 grams of lotus flour are placed into any blending equipment suitablefor mixing very thick doughs at very high speeds, to which is added200-250 g edible fatty material, such as vegetable oils (preferred forhypoallergenic products) but could also include other fatty materials.Add to this 28.4 g water and 5.5 g flour that have been cooked to athick paste. The materials are throughly mixed for about 2 minutes oruntil the entire mixture is well blended, and the consistency of peanutbutter.

EXAMPLE 149 Lotus Imitation Mayonnaise

Combine 56.3 g lotus flour, 13 g salt, and 113.25 g cold water untilwell blended. Add slowly to 340 g boiling water, stirring constantly.Continue stirring, while maintaining temperature at 50° to 150° C.,until mixture is completely gelatinized and thickened and cool. Placemixture in conventional high speed blending device; add 200 g oil, and(optional: 21.3 g lemon juice, vinegar, or ascorbic acid solution). Mixmaterials on highest speed until well blended, smooth, and uniformconsistency. Mayonnaise will thicken as it cools.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 150 Lotus Milk

Combine 453 9 water and 90.6 g lotus flour, mix thoroughly. Stirringconstantly, heat until well gelatinized, thick, and well blended. Blendtogether an additional 453 g water, 90.6 g very finely comminuted lotusflour, and 12.5 g oil in any high speed blending device. Add in thecooked flour mixture. Blend 1-30 minutes at highest speeds, preferably 4minutes. May be strained if flour not sufficiently fine.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 151 Lotus Milk Shake

Combine 90.6 g flour and 226.5 g water in suitable mixing and heatingapparatus. As mixture approaches boiling point, increase revolutions perminute. Continue rapid stirring while boiling for about 5 minutes. Whenthoroughly gelatinized, very thick, and smooth, cool to 50° F. or lower,preferably 35° F. In high speed blending device, combine gelatinizedmixture, 12.5. g oil, 90.6 g lotus flour, and 226.5 g crushed ice. Blendwell at speeds high enough to partially freeze mixture as ice particlesbecome crushed and fine to form a thick slurry the consistency of a milkshake. The above milk shake-like product without further embodiments hasa very pleasant taste, although any desired combination of fruits, nuts,sweeteners, flavorings, seasonings, spices, fillers, extenders, binders,and so forth may also be added to the product.

Alternatively, the milk shake-like product may be formed by 181.2 gflour, 453 g water and 12.5 g oil (1/2 water and flour still cooked asdescribed above) under conditions of simultaneous freezing and mixing toform a milk shake-like slurry without adding crushed ice. Similarlyother methods of the art may be used to produce the frozen slurry.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 152 Lotus Ice Cream

The milk shake-like product described in Example 151 may be used as abase for ice cream products. The above slurry is subjected to freezingfrom 32° F. to -30° F. or lower, preferably -20°-0° F., until productattains this temperature. Frozen mixture is then comminuted, and placedin high speed blending equipment and blended at highest speeds untilwell mixed, smooth, and creamy. Freezing, comminuting and mixing cyclesmay be repeated as desired, 2 such cycles are preferred. Additionalembodiments described in Example 151 may also be used in this example.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 153 Lotus Noodles

Using conventional equipment for kneading thick dough, combine 453 gflour and 340 g boiling water. Knead well until dough is well mixed andforms soft doughy clumps. Extrude to various shapes of macaroni,fettucine, spaghetti, lasagna and the like. Cut to desired lengths, dryby any conventional means, preferably air drying on trays, conveyors orthe like. Dough may be used to make any pasta product common in the artincluding but not limited to ravioli, Chinese-style meat filled noodledumplings, and other meat-filled products.

Alternatively a small amount of flour and water, preferably 20 g lotusflour and 120 g water may be cooked to a thick paste and added to theabove mixture. In another alternative process, prior to extruding, theflour mixture described above which may or may not be simultaneouslykneaded, may be maintained at temperatures above 50° C. for 2-30minutes, preferably 2-5 minutes at 95° C. to gelatinize part of all ofthe dough.

When cooking, immerse noodles in boiling water for 2-10 minutesdepending on width of noodles. Any other cooking techniques of the artmay also be used. Noodles may be used in any type pasta dish--soups,stews, pasta and sauce dishes, and the like.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 154 Lotus Crackers

In any suitable machine for mixing heavy doughs, combine 453 g lotusflour, 3.25 g salt, 75 g oil, and 23.6 g baking powder. By anyconventional means, including but not limited to molding, rolling,cutting, extruding, and the like, shape into desired shapes. Coat with avery thin film of oil, sprinkling with salt. Heat to 350° F. for 20minutes. Otherwise, cook by any convention of the art, including baking,frying and the like. Alternatively, omit oil, or oil and salt,increasing water by 30 grams.

EXAMPLE 155 Lotus Pudding

Combine equal parts by volume of cooked, mashed lotus and water, using113.25 g of each. The method of cooking and pureeing may be by anyconventional means including but not limited to steam heat, boiling andpressure cooking to application of steam until all starch particles aregelatinized. The gelatinized lotus are blended to a thick paste by anyconventional means. Separately 5.65 g lotus flour is combined with 28.4g water and heated to boiling point for 5 minutes to produce a thickgelatinized paste. The gelatinized paste is combined with the cookedtuber paste by any conventional mixing technique until well blended. Themixture is the consistency of pudding. Alternatively, cook 226.5 g waterand 22.7 g lotus flour by any conventional method until gelatinized andcool. This is not to preclude the use of other ingredients commonly usedas ingredients in pudding such as eggs, milk, conventional flours, oil,sweeteners, flavorants, spices, seasonings, of any kind in thisinvention.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 156 Lotus Flour

Peel lotus under running water, also removing any spots and/orundesirable areas, then free of excess water. Dip briefly in distilledwater, again remove excess water; do not soak. Shred to desired size,place on glass or metal trays; air dry at 145° F. for 8-12 hours,preferably 10 hours. Comminute shreds with any desired technique thatutilizes most of the fiber, 100% utilization is preferred, to produce aflour product that is a fine flour of relatively uniform particle sizedistribution.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 157 Cooked Lotus Flour

Lotus are processed by the method of Example 156, with the added step ofpartially or completely gelatinizing the tubers as a separate step or incombination with other process steps.

EXAMPLE NUMBER 158 Bread Product from Starch, Insoluble Fiber andSoluble Fiber

Combine 0.24 lb white sweet potato starch, 0.09 lb of the dried,pulverized insoluble fiber from white sweet potato, and 0.02 lb dried,pulverized soluble fiber from white sweet potato, and mix well. Then add0.53 lb water and 0.03 lb baking powder and mix thoroughly. Place inbaking pan and bake for 25 minutes at 425° F. Soluble fiber andinsoluble fiber were obtained as described in Rule 132 Declaration ofKaren M. Slimak, on May 4, 1988, published as part of the file of U.S.Pat. No. 4,925,697, and herein incorporated by reference.

EXAMPLE 159 Bread Product from Starch, Insoluble Fiber and Soluble Fiber

Combine 0.24 lb white sweet potato starch, 0.09 lb of the dried,pulverized insoluble fiber from white sweet potato, and 0.02 lb dried,pulverized soluble fiber from white sweet potato, and mix well. Then add0.53 lb water and 0.03 lb baking powder and mix thoroughly. Place inbaking pan and bake for 25 minutes at 425° F. Soluble fiber andinsoluble fiber were obtained as described in Rule 132 Declaration ofKaren M. Slimak, on May 4, 1988, published as part of the file of U.S.Pat. No. 4,925,697, and herein incorporated by reference.

EXAMPLE 160 Bread Product from Starch, Insoluble Fiber and Soluble Fiber

Combine 0.24 lb arrowroot starch, 0.09 lb of the dried, pulverizedinsoluble fiber from white sweet potato, and 0.02 lb dried, pulverizedsoluble fiber from cassava, and mix well. Then add 0.53 lb water and0.03 lb baking powder and mix thoroughly. Place in baking pan and bakefor 25 minutes at 425° F. Soluble fiber and insoluble fiber wereobtained as described in Rule 132 Declaration of Karen M. Slimak, on May4, 1988, published as part of the file of U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,697, andherein incorporated by reference.

EXAMPLE 161 Potato Flour

Thinly peel potatoes under running water, removing any spots, and otherundesirable areas; rinse briefly in distilled water; remove excesswater; do not soak. Shred to desired size, place on glass or metaltrays; air dry at 145° F. for 8-12 hours., preferably 10 hrs. Comminuteshreds into a moderately fine flour product.

EXAMPLE 162 Cooked Potato Flour

The method of example 4 is used to produce a cooked flour product, withthe added process of heating the potato with steam until gelatinized,and then proceeding with shredding and drying steps.

EXAMPLE 163 Breadfruit Flour

Peel firm, green breadfruit under running water, removing any spots, andother undesirable areas; rinse briefly in distilled water; remove excesswater; do not soak. Shred to desired size, place on glass or metaltrays; air dry at 145° F. for 8-12 hours, preferably 10 hrs. Comminuteshreds into a moderately fine flour product.

EXAMPLE 164 Cooked Breadfruit Flour

The method of example 6 is used to produce a cooked flour product, withthe added process of heating the breadfruit with steam untilgelatinized, and then proceeding with shredding and drying steps.

EXAMPLE 165 Arrowroot Flour

Thinly peel arrowroot under running water, removing any spots, and otherundesirable areas; rinse briefly in distilled water; remove excesswater; do not soak. Shred to desired size, place on glass or metaltrays; air dry at 145° F. for 8-12 hours, preferably 10 hrs. Comminuteshreds into a moderately fine flour product.

EXAMPLE 166 Cooked Arrowroot Flour

The method of example 8 is used to produce a cooked flour product, withthe added process of heating the arrowroot with steam until gelatinized,and then proceeding with shredding and drying steps.

EXAMPLE 167 Water Chestnut Flour

Thinly peel water chestnuts under running water, removing any spots, andother undesirable areas; rinse briefly in distilled water; remove excesswater; do not soak. Shred to desired size, place on glass or metaltrays; air dry at 145° F. for 8-12 hours, preferably 10 hrs. Comminuteshreds into a moderately fine flour product.

EXAMPLE 168 Cooked Water Chestnut Flour

The method of example 10 is used to produce a cooked flour product, withthe added process of heating the water chestnut with steam untilgelatinized, and then proceeding with shredding and drying steps.

Having now fully described the invention, it will be apparent to one ofordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications can bemade thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention as setforth herein.

What is claimed as new and so intended to be secured by Letters Patentis:
 1. A non-grain edible flour comprising the comminuted tuber or seedof at least one member selected from the group consisting ofConvolvulaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Euphorbiaceae,Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae and mixtures thereof,wherein the flour contains at least 50% of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber or seed.
 2. A mixed flourcomprising the flour of claim 1 and at least one material selected fromthe group consisting of grain flour, legume flour, leavening agent,emulsifiers, and added fiber.
 3. The flour of claim 1, wherein the flourcontains at least 75% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceoussubstance of the tuber.
 4. The flour of claim 1, wherein the selectedtuber or seed is a tuber of family Dioscoreaceae.
 5. The flour of claim1, wherein the selected tuber or seed is a tuber of family Nymphaeaceae.6. The flour of claim 1, wherein the selected tuber or seed is a tuberof family Euphorbiaceae.
 7. The flour of claim 1, wherein the selectedtuber or seed is a tuber of family Alismataceae.
 8. The flour of claim1, wherein the selected tuber or seed is a seed of family Amaranthaceae.9. The flour of claim 1, wherein the selected tuber or seed is fromfamily Chenopodiaceae.
 10. A non-grain edible flour possessing theability to hold a rise in the absence of grain flour, legume flour, oradded fiber; said non-grain edible flour comprising comminuted tubers orseeds of at least one member selected from the group consisting ofConvolvulaceae, Araceae, Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Euphorbiaceae,Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae and mixtures thereof,wherein the flour contains at least 50% of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber or seed.
 11. A mixed flourcomprising the flour of claim 10 and at least one material selected fromthe group consisting of wheat, corn, oats, millet, rice, rye, barley,Milo, popcorn, sorghum, triticale, wild rice, teff, spelt, buckwheat,lentil, soy, peanut, garbanzo, mung, pea, bean, guar, kudzu, acacia,fenugreek, jicama, tonka, tamarind, tragacanth, lima, linseed,cottonseed, Jesuit's nut, cycad seeds, glycerine monostearate,hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, calcium stearoylactylate, pentosans,sodium stearoylactylate, malt, glycerol ester of fatty acids, diacetyltartaric acid, glycerol monoester emulsifiers, hydrophilic gum,cellulose ethers, hulls of vegetable origin, vegetable fiber, alphacellulose flour, bran, rice hulls, oat hulls, amaranth hulls, milohulls, corn cobs, bean hulls, soybean hulls, dried vegetable juices,sodium carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, karaya gum,algin, agar, carrageenan, mucilages, and gums.
 12. The flour of claim10, wherein the flour contains at least 75% of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber.
 13. The flour of claim 12wherein the flour contains at least 90% of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber.
 14. An imitation nut butterproduct comprising a carrier and the flour of claim 12, wherein theamount of carrier in admixture with the flour is sufficient to impart anut butter texture.
 15. A batter-type product comprising the flour ofclaim 12 and water in amounts effective to produce said batter-typeproduct.
 16. A baked product comprising the flour of claim 12 and waterin amounts effective to produce said baked product.
 17. A colloidalproduct comprising the flour of claim 12, an oil, and water in amountseffective to produce said colloidal product.
 18. An extruded productcomprising water and the flour of claim 12 in amounts effective toproduce said extruded product.
 19. A milk substitute comprising theflour of claim 12 and water in amounts effective to produce said milksubstitute.
 20. An ice cream substitute which is the frozen milksubstitute of claim
 19. 21. The flour of claim 12, wherein the flourcomprises comminuted particles of tubers of family Convolvulaceae. 22.The flour of claim 21, wherein the flour is from the white sweet potato.23. The flour of claim 21 wherein the flour contains at least 90% of theplant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber.
 24. Animitation nut butter product comprising a carrier and the flour of claim21, wherein the amount of carrier in admixture with the flour issufficient to impart a nut butter texture.
 25. A batter-type productcomprising the flour of claim 21 and water in amounts effective toproduce said batter-type product.
 26. A baked product comprising theflour of claim 21 and water in amounts effective to produce said bakedproduct.
 27. A colloidal product comprising the flour of claim 21, anoil, and water in amounts effective to produce said colloidal product.28. An extruded product comprising water and the flour of claim 21, inamounts effective to produce said extruded product.
 29. A milksubstitute comprising the flour of claim 21 and water in amountseffective to produce said milk substitute.
 30. An ice cream substitutewhich is the frozen milk substitute of claim
 29. 31. The flour of claim12, wherein the flour comprises comminuted particles of tubers of familyAraceae.
 32. The flour of claim 31 wherein the flour is from ediblearoids.
 33. The flour of claim 31 wherein the flour contains at least90% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber.34. The flour of claim 31 wherein the entire flour passes through ascreen of 0.001 inch mesh.
 35. An imitation nut butter productcomprising a carrier and the flour of claim 31, wherein the amount ofcarrier in admixture with the flour is sufficient to impart a nut buttertexture.
 36. A batter-type product comprising the flour of claim 31 andwater in amounts effective to produce said batter-type product.
 37. Abaked product comprising the flour of claim 31 and water in amountseffective to produce said baked product.
 38. A colloidal productcomprising the flour of claim 31, an oil, and water in amounts effectiveto produce said colloidal product.
 39. An extruded product comprisingwater and the flour of claim 31 in amounts effective to produce saidextruded product.
 40. A milk substitute comprising the flour of claim 31and water in amounts effective to produce said milk substitute.
 41. Anice cream substitute which is the frozen milk substitute of claim 40.42. The flour of claim 12, wherein the flour comprises comminutedparticles of tubers of family Dioscoreaceae.
 43. The flour of claim 42wherein the flour is from yams.
 44. The flour of claim 42 wherein theflour contains at least 90% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceoussubstance of the tuber.
 45. An imitation nut butter product comprising acarrier and the flour of claim 42, wherein the amount of carrier inadmixture with the flour is sufficient to impart a nut butter texture.46. A batter-type product comprising the flour of claim 42 and water inamounts effective to produce said batter-type product.
 47. A bakedproduct comprising the flour of claim 42 and water in amounts effectiveto produce said baked product.
 48. A colloidal product comprising theflour of claim 42, an oil, and water in amounts effective to producesaid colloidal product.
 49. An extruded product comprising water and theflour of claim 42 in amounts effective to produce said extruded product.50. A milk substitute comprising the flour of claim 42 and water inamounts effective to produce said milk substitute.
 51. An ice creamsubstitute which is the frozen milk substitute of claim
 50. 52. Theflour of claim 12, wherein the flour comprises comminuted particles oftubers of family Nymphaceae.
 53. The flour of claim 52 wherein the flouris from lotus.
 54. The flour of claim 52 wherein the flour contains atleast 90% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of thetuber.
 55. An imitation nut butter product comprising a carrier and theflour of claim 52, wherein the amount of carrier in admixture with theflour is sufficient to impart a nut butter texture.
 56. A batter-typeproduct comprising the flour of claim 52 and water in amounts effectiveto produce said batter-type product.
 57. A baked product comprising theflour of claim 52 and water in amounts effective to produce said bakedproduct.
 58. A colloidal product comprising the flour of claim 52, anoil, and water in amounts effective to produce said colloidal product.59. An extruded product comprising water and the flour of claim 52 inamounts effective to produce said extruded product.
 60. A milksubstitute comprising the flour of claim 52 and water in amountseffective to produce said milk substitute.
 61. An ice cream substitutewhich is the frozen milk substitute of claim
 60. 62. The flour of claim10 wherein the flour comprises comminuted particles of tubers of familyEuphorbiaceae.
 63. The flour of claim 62 wherein the flour is fromcassava.
 64. The flour of claim 62 wherein the flour contains at least90% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber.65. An imitation nut butter product comprising a carrier and the flourof claim 62, wherein the amount of carrier in admixture with the flouris sufficient to impart a nut butter texture.
 66. A batter-type productcomprising the flour of claim 62 and water in amounts effective toproduce said batter-type product.
 67. A baked product comprising theflour of claim 62 and water in amounts effective to produce said bakedproduct.
 68. A colloidal product comprising the flour of claim 62, anoil, and water in amounts effective to produce said colloidal product.69. An extruded product comprising water and the flour of claim 62 inamounts effective to produce said extruded product.
 70. A milksubstitute comprising the flour of claim 62 and water in amountseffective to produce said milk substitute.
 71. An ice cream substitutewhich is the frozen milk substitute of claim
 70. 72. The flour of claim12, wherein the flour comprises comminuted particles of tubers of familyAlismataceae.
 73. The flour of claim 72 wherein the flour is fromarrowhead.
 74. The flour of claim 72 wherein the flour contains at least90% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber.75. An imitation nut butter product comprising a carrier and the flourof claim 72, wherein the amount of carrier in admixture with the flouris sufficient to impart a nut butter texture.
 76. A batter-type productcomprising the flour of claim 72 and water in amounts effective toproduce said batter-type product.
 77. A baked product comprising theflour of claim 72 and water in amounts effective to produce said bakedproduct.
 78. A colloidal product comprising the flour of 72, an oil, andwater in amounts effective to produce said colloidal product.
 79. Anextruded product comprising water and the flour of claim 72 in amountseffective to produce said extruded product.
 80. A milk substitutecomprising the flour of claim 72 and water in amounts effective toproduce said milk substitute.
 81. An ice cream substitute which is thefrozen milk substitute of claim
 80. 82. The flour of claim 12, whereinthe flour comprises comminuted tubers or seeds of families Amaranthaceaeand Chenopodiaceae.
 83. The flour of claim 82 wherein the flour is fromsugar beets.
 84. The flour of claim 83 wherein the flour contains atleast 75% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of thetuber.
 85. The flour of claim 82 wherein the flour is selected from thegroup consisting of amaranth, quinoa and mixtures thereof.
 86. The flourof claim 82 wherein the flour contains at least 90% of the plant fiberand other non-farinaceous substance of the seed.
 87. An imitation nutbutter product comprising a carrier and the flour of claim 82, whereinthe amount of carrier in admixture with the flour is sufficient toimpart a nut butter texture.
 88. A batter-type product comprising theflour of claim 82 and water in amounts effective to produce saidbatter-type product.
 89. A baked product comprising the flour of claim82 and water in amounts effective to produce said baked product.
 90. Acolloidal product comprising the flour of claim 82, an oil, and water inamounts effective to produce said colloidal product.
 91. An extrudedproduct comprising water and the flour of claim 82 in amounts effectiveto produce said extruded product.
 92. A milk substitute comprising theflour of claim 82 and water in amounts effective to produce said milksubstitute.
 93. An ice cream substitute which is the frozen milksubstitute of claim
 92. 94. An edible flour possessing the ability tomaintain a risen structure in the absence of gluten, said edible flourcomprising comminuted particles of starch, soluble fiber and insolublefiber.
 95. The flour of claim 94, wherein the source of the starch is anedible root, wherein the source of the insoluble fiber is vegetablefiber, and wherein the source of the soluble fiber is dried, pulverizedvegetable juices.
 96. The flour of claim 94, wherein the starch isnon-glutinous starch from seeds.
 97. The flour of claim 94, wherein thestarch is non-glutinous vegetable starch.
 98. The flour of claim 94,wherein the soluble fiber is selected from the group consisting ofmucilages and gums.
 99. The flour of claim 94, wherein the soluble fiberis selected from the group consisting of carboxymethylcellulose andhydroxymethylcellulose.
 100. A The flour of claim 94, wherein theinsoluble fiber is edible dried pulverized woody portions of herbs andplants.
 101. The flour of claim 94, wherein the insoluble fiber isselected from the group consisting of edible, dried, pulverized seedcoats and hulls.
 102. An imitation nut butter product comprising acarrier and the flour of claim 94, wherein the amount of carrier inadmixture with the flour is sufficient to impart a nut butter texture.103. A batter-type product comprising the flour of claim 94, and waterin amounts effective to produce said batter-type product.
 104. A bakedproduct comprising the flour of claim 94 and water in amounts effectiveto produce said baked product.
 105. A colloidal product comprising theflour of claim 94, an oil, and water in amounts effective to producesaid colloidal product.
 106. An extruded product comprising water andthe flour of claim 94 in amounts effective to produce said extrudedproduct.
 107. A milk substitute comprising the flour of claim 94 andwater in amounts effective to produce said milk substitute.
 108. An icecream substitute which is the frozen milk substitute of claim
 107. 109.The flour of claim 1, wherein the selected tuber or seed is a tuber offamily Convolvulaceae.
 110. The flour of claim 1, wherein the selectedtuber or seed is a tuber of family Araceae.
 111. A product comprising aflour of a comminuted tuber or seed of at least one member selected fromthe group consisting of Convolvulaceae, Araceae, Dioscoreaceae,Nymphaeaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceaeand mixtures thereof, wherein the flour consists essentially of at least50% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuberor seed.
 112. The product of claim 111, wherein the product is animitation nut butter product comprising a carrier and a flour of acomminuted tuber or seed of at least one member selected from the groupconsisting of Convolvulaceae, Araceae, Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaeaceae,Euphorbiaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae and mixturesthereof, wherein the flour consists essentially of at least 50% of theplant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber or seed,and wherein the amount of carrier in admixture with the flour issufficient to impart a nut butter texture.
 113. The product of claim111, wherein the product is a batter-type product comprising water and aflour of a comminuted tuber or seed of at least one member selected fromthe group consisting of Convolvulaceae, Araceae, Dioscoreaceae,Nymphaeaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceaeand mixtures thereof, wherein the flour consists essentially of at least50% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuberor seed in amounts effective to produce said batter-type product. 114.The product of claim 111, wherein the product is a baked productcomprising water and a flour of a comminuted tuber or seed of at leastone member selected from the group consisting of Convolvulaceae,Araceae, Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Alismataceae,Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae and mixtures thereof, wherein the flourconsists essentially of at least 50% of the plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substance of the tuber or seed in amounts effective toproduce said baked product.
 115. The product of claim 111, wherein theproduct is a colloidal product comprising an oil, water and a flour of acomminuted tuber or seed of at least one member selected from the groupconsisting of Convolvulaceae, Araceae, Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaeaceae,Euphorbiaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae and mixturesthereof, wherein the flour consists essentially of at least 50% of theplant fiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber or seed inamounts effective to produce said colloidal product.
 116. The product ofclaim 111, wherein the product is an extruded product comprising waterand a flour of a comminuted tuber or seed of at least one memberselected from the group consisting of Convolvulaceae, Araceae,Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae,Chenopodiaceae and mixtures thereof, wherein the flour consistsessentially of at least 50% of the plant fiber and other non-farinaceoussubstance of the tuber or seed in amounts effective to produce saidextruded product.
 117. The product of claim 111, wherein the product isa milk substitute comprising water and a flour of a comminuted tuber orseed of at least one member selected from the group consisting ofConvolvulaceae, Araceae, Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Euphorbiaceae,Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae and mixtures thereof,wherein the flour consists essentially of at least 50% of the plantfiber and other non-farinaceous substance of the tuber or seed inamounts effective to produce said milk substitute.
 118. An ice creamsubstitute which comprises the frozen milk substitute of claim
 117. 119.A method of milling at least one tuber or seed selected from the groupconsisting of Convolvulaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaceae, Euphorbiaceae,Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae and mixtures thereof saidmethods comprising comminuting a tuber or seed and recovering a milledproduct while retaining at least 50% of plant fiber and othernon-farinaceous substances of the tuber or seeds in the recovered milledproduct.
 120. Flours of tubers or seeds containing at least 50% of theplant fiber and other non-farinaceous substances of the tuber or seedsmilled to a particle size to pass through a screen of about 0.015 inch.121. A flour of an edible aroid selected from the group consisting ofmalanga, taro, amorphophallus and all of the tubers of the familyAraceae and mixtures thereof comminuted to a particle size so as to passthrough a screen of about 0.015 inch which flour retains at least 20% ofthe plant fiber and other non-farinaceous substances and dried to amoisture content of less than 15%.
 122. An edible baked productcomprising flour, wherein the primary flour ingredient is a flourselected from the group consisting of tubers or seeds of Convolvulaceae,Araceae, Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Alismataceae,Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae and mixtures thereof.
 123. A milksubstitute comprising flour and a liquid carrier, in amounts effectiveto produce said milk substitute, wherein the primary flour ingredient isa flour selected from the group consisting of tubers or seeds ofConvolvulaceae, Araceae, Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Euphorbiaceae,Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae and mixtures thereof. 124.An ice cream substitute comprising flour and a liquid carrier, inamounts effective to produce said ice cream substitute, wherein theprimary flour ingredient is a flour from the group consisting of tubersor seeds of Convolvulaceae, Araceae, Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaeaceae,Euphorbiaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae and mixturesthereof.
 125. An imitation nut butter product comprising flour and acarrier, wherein the primary flour ingredient is a flour selected fromthe group consisting of tubers or seeds of Convolvulaceae, Araceae,Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae,Chenopodiaceae and mixtures thereof.
 126. A batter-type productcomprising flour, wherein the primary flour ingredient is a flourselected from the group consisting of tubers or seeds of Convolvulaceae,Araceae, Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Alismataceae,Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae and mixtures thereof.
 127. A colloidalproduct comprising flour and a liquid carrier, wherein the primary flouringredient is a flour selected from the group consisting of tubers orseeds of Convolvulaceae, Araceae, Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaeaceae,Euphorbiaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae and mixturesthereof.
 128. An extruded product comprising flour, wherein the primaryflour ingredient is a flour selected from the group consisting of tubersor seeds of Convolvulaceae, Araceae, Dioscoreaceae, Nymphaeaceae,Euphorbiaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae and mixturesthereof.